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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think it suddenly seems 'the in-thing' to suffer with bi-polar?

439 replies

Champersonice · 14/04/2011 10:21

This is really getting to me. Perhaps these 'celebs' really are suffering with bi-polar but I remember the days when it was the biggest taboo. My mother suffers with this illness and it is just awful.

There have been so many and whilst I really believe some I really do not believe Kerry Katona and now Catherine Zeta-Jones. Apparantely, CZJ booked herself into a psychiatric hospital for becoming manic-depressive following her husband's cancer, and now, according to her publicist is "feeling great and looking forward to starting work this week on two upcoming films". Perhaps Ms Zeta-Jones should visit a real psychiatric hopsital (not a detox clinic) and see real life patients suffering with this terrible, terrible illness.

AIBU?

OP posts:
DumSpiroSpero · 14/04/2011 13:38

^TBH I dont think CZJ needs the publicity that having Bipolar would bring her. I suspect that the poor woman had a reactive breakdown once her OH was on the mend and it has been named something else for whatever reason.

Doesnt mean I dont feel for her.^

I think you've just managed to say what I was trying to get at and totally failing to do so! Smile.

It may be that the 'coming up' from the depression following her husband's cancer diagnosis and treatment had resulted in a mild manic episode.

I have come off a long-term course of AD's myself recently and experienced several hyperthymic symptoms in the last six months (lack of sleep, increased creativity etc) - I wouldn't consider myself bi-polar however.

FoofffyShmoofffer · 14/04/2011 13:39

Surely it's as simple as:

Depression
can be broken down into bipolar/unipolar.
To call bipolar disorder "depression" doesn't do it's unique characteristics justice. Which is why we hear of it so much more.

I would be surprised if anybody truly believes that you can be cured in a week but it's somewhat naive to take the interpretation of the media and base your facts around it.

I agree it feels like a cynical PR move to mention this now. Maybe until proven otherwise it might be an idea not to treat it as such though.

nulliusxinxverbax · 14/04/2011 13:42

thefirstMrsDeVere very sensible post agree with everyword. CZJ hardly needs the money does she. she has had a stressful time.

Mollyschambers Do you know what KK did to her children whilst supposedly ill?

My mom is shit with money, has she got BI Polar aswell?

In my local paper there was a crack head who robbed an elderly lady. Maybe I should feel sorry for him, he must have Bi Polar.

MollysChambers · 14/04/2011 14:04

nullius I have no idea whether your mother is bipolar or not. The fact remains that people with bipolar can be shit with money. It's part of not being able to take responsibility for, well, anything. Which is one of many symptoms.

Why should knowing what KK did change my opinion of whether or not she is bipolar? As I said I have personal experience of bipolar within the family. I wouldn't leave this close family member alone with my kids. Not because they may be harmed but because there is no sense of responsibilty their at all.

As for the crack head - he was probably just a junky thief. Hmm

Original poster
Champersonice · 14/04/2011 14:05

Steps, although I agree that OP under MNs acronyms means Original Poster, I have seen many threads where OP has also been used for Other Posts. Same as DS can mean Dear/Darling Son or Sister. I just thought it easier on me (typing) and you (the reader). Sorry if it offends and hope it helps clarify.

OP posts:
Original poster
Champersonice · 14/04/2011 14:09

Mollys, I understand where you are coming from with not wanting to leave your kids with a family member that has bipolar due to the lack of responsibility. However, if the illness is treated (successfully) with meds, they can live pretty stable lives. Also, many sufferers are far more dangerous to themselves than to others.

OP posts:
steps101 · 14/04/2011 14:11

It doesn't clarify. If you are using the same acronym to refer to every single post and every single poster on a thread, what is the point of the acronym?

Bless though. I think it's hilarious that you think it means "other posters"/"other posts" :)

MollysChambers · 14/04/2011 14:14

Finding the right combination of meds is proving problematic. I've had 18 years of this now. Fairly even keel for the last two years (by far and away the longest spell) but seems to be slipping into depression again - back to GP's to up anti-depressants last week.

It's really a trust issue now. Not sure that will ever be there as far as the kids are concerned. Not that they would be harmed, just that if i was to leave said person alone with them I might find they're no longer their when I return!

MollysChambers · 14/04/2011 14:15

Sorry - to clarify - I might find this person is no longer there and the kids are alone, not that the kids have been abducted!

buttonmooncup · 14/04/2011 14:16

OP - do you have any medical qualifications? If not - which I strongly suspect by reading your posts - then why do you think you can contradict a diagnosis made by a medical professional on someone you have never met?
And no it isn't OK to say that KK doesn't have bipolar - it's completely out of order.
How would you like it if I said that your mother didn't have bipolar despite the fact I know nothing about her, have never met her and I'm not a doctor?
Maybe Michael Douglas was lying about the cancer as well Hmm

Original poster
Champersonice · 14/04/2011 14:17

So how do you differentiate between other acronyms being used for different meanings? Such as: DD, BM, CP, EBF, FF?

And as I pointed out, I am not the first to also use OP for other post/ers.

This is not a revelation. Bless you though for thinking it is.

OP posts:
Original poster
Champersonice · 14/04/2011 14:20

Button, you can say what you like. Free speech and all that. And how can you assume you know about my qualifications but I can't assume something about KK? Hypocrisy comes to mind. Besides, I have never seen/heard a Dr confirm that KK has bipolar - have you?

OP posts:
BeakerTheMuppetMuppet · 14/04/2011 14:24

exactly my point buttonmooncup

and even if the OP (that's Original Poster for anyone trying to dig themselves out of a hole) was qualified, they still have no right to say they agree or disagree anyone has a certain condition/illness based on tabloid 'news'

MollysChambers · 14/04/2011 14:27

Button and Beaker agree completely.

buttonmooncup · 14/04/2011 14:28

She has released a statement saying she has and only someone truly warped would think that she was lying.
Are you a doctor Champersonice?

Original poster
Champersonice · 14/04/2011 14:29

Beaker, I haven't repeatedley said "I think people say they have bipolar, then use it for publicity". I am saying that this illness is labelled all too easily and sometimes wrongly. I don't believe for a minute I have the capacity to tell who is and who isn't ill. But I do believe that I can have my own thoughts - especially when they come into the public arena - isn't it then open for debate? If someone announces something publicly then they have to be ready for others' opinions. Just like I am in starting this thread. And I certainly do not look at everyone who says they have bipolar with a sideways glance. You are misunderstanding my posts.

OP posts:
Insomnia11 · 14/04/2011 14:29

Jeez, the "in thing"- WTF?

I've heard of two people who are bi-polar, Stephen Fry (which he announced years ago) and Catherine Zeta Jones. That's two celebrities in probably five years or more.

Frankly the more mental illness is talked about the better and one thing celebrity status is good for is massively raising awareness of issues quickly.

Original poster
Champersonice · 14/04/2011 14:31

If you are reading a post then you should know what OP means from the context. You don't have to be facetious, Beaker.

OP posts:
buttonmooncup · 14/04/2011 14:32

No Champersonice if a celebrity gets a new haircut they are inviting opinion - if they are ill it isn't subjective. What leads you to say that bipolar is labelled "too easily" or "wrongly". Obviously any condition can be misdiagnosed but why do you think this of bipolar in particular?

buttonmooncup · 14/04/2011 14:33

Oh and are you a doctor OP - you didn't say?

MollysChambers · 14/04/2011 14:36

Champers my relative has been diagnosed with bipolar, this was then questioned - maybe schizophrenia, nope back to bipolar, then bipolar but with a personality disorder as well..... Within that there has also been - bipolar I, nope bipolar II....

Mental illness can be difficult to label. Symptoms can change. Diagnoses can change. Drug and alcohol abuse can mask or exaggerate symptoms. So it is perfectly possible for a person to be told they are bipolar when they are not. It certainly doesn't mean they have no mental illness or that they're putting it on.

EvenLessNarkyPuffin · 14/04/2011 14:40

I think the OPs should ignore the OP as she's full of BS.

buttonmooncup · 14/04/2011 14:41

Full of biological son??? What are you on about??? Grin

MollysChambers · 14/04/2011 14:42

You're right of course. But she's touching a nerve....

steps101 · 14/04/2011 14:42

"So how do you differentiate between other acronyms being used for different meanings? Such as: DD, BM, CP, EBF, FF?"

You differentiate from context. :)

If I'm in a thread about feeding infants, and someone refers to FF, I know - from the context - that they are talking about formula feeding. If I was in a thread about gaming and someone mentioned FF, I'd assume - from the context - that they were talking about Final Fantasy. If I was on livejournal and someone said "hdu," I'd know they meant "how dare you." If someone started a thread saying they were upset because their mother was in the HDU, on the other hand, I'd know that they meant high dependency unit.
See how that works? :) And how, if you're using the same acronym on the same thread to refer to 2 different things, the context gets lost?

You are still absolutely hilarious. I'm starting to get the impression that you don't want to "share" bipolar disorder with anyone. How very strange.

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