Famous People with Bipolar Disorder

Famous People with Bipolar Disorder For millions of people the world over, bipolar disorder is an everyday reality that can have a marked impact on their lives. The condition is characterized by extremes mood swings which vary from manic highs to incredibly depressive lows. At any given time of the day or night the individual can feel ecstatically elated for no reason, and then with no notice at all they can be plunged into a deep despair. In some case these mood swings are much less frequent and only have an effect a few times every year, but for others it can be a near-hourly occurrence. Unsurprisingly, it can feel very difficult to keep control of everyday life and emotions for those affected.

Bipolar affects almost 6 million people in the US alone, along with a large contingency of celebrities and famous faces.

10 Famous People with Bipolar Disorder
The achievements of the individuals listed below pay homage to the way in which conditions like bipolar are indeed life-affecting, but need not necessarily be life-destroying. In many cases it comes down to getting the right help at the right time, which is sadly something that the vast majority of sufferers overlook. While some are unwilling to have a problem, many do not realize they have a problem at all. This is why anyone with even the slightest inclination that they may be suffering from a mood-related issue owes it to themselves to consult a specialist as early as possible.

Carrie Fisher
Carrie Fisher is one of the world’s most famous and best-loved actresses, perhaps best known for her roles in the original Star Wars movies. She’s once again set to take up the role of Princess Leia in the new movies coming from the franchise over the coming years. She is a bipolar disorder sufferer, and only recently she began to open up about her problems with bipolar and drug abuse and has a story that continues to inspire millions.

Catherine Zeta-Jones
British beauty Catherine Zeta-Jones is perhaps one of the most famous bipolar sufferers in the world, having publically spoken of her struggles beginning in 2011. Along with her dozens of movie credits including The Mask of Zorro and Entrapment, this Golden Globe nominated actress is just as famous for her A-List marriage to Michael Douglas.

Jane Pauley
Veteran of NBC’s Today program with over 13 years under her belt, Jane Pauley is another example of a truly iconic figure that also happens to suffer from bipolar disorder. Despite being one of the most private celebrity faces on US television who doesn’t like to share too much about her private life, Pauley has frequently spoke of her troubles with bipolar and hopes to inspire others with the condition to speak out.

Jean-Claude Van Damme
The muscles from Brussels may be the very epitome of a hard-as-nails character in his famous movie roles, but in the real world his struggles with bipolar disorder are well-documented. Van Damme shot to fame in the martial arts blockbusters of the 1980s including Bloodsport and Kickboxer, though would go on to be diagnosed with bipolar in 1998. Explaining his condition and the way it makes him behave, he once famously said “Sometimes you’ll love me, sometimes you’ll hate me.”

Linda Hamilton
Linda Hamilton became a household name the world over after appearing as Sarah Connor in Terminator and its iconic sequel. She has been nominated for two Golden Globes during her career and admitted in 2005 during an interview with Larry King that she had for some time suffered from bipolar disorder. What’s more, she also said that the devastating effects of the condition were what cost her marriage to Bruce Abbott.

Mariette Hartley
Mariette Hartley’s star studded career was underpinned by long-term psychological problems including bipolar disorder. It was as early as 1990 that she fully spoke of the condition in her autobiography, making her one of the firs famous faces to go public on their struggles. In order to help others that may struggle with mood related issues, she went on to help found the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention which is credited with saving thousands of lives every year.

Sinéad O'Connor
Famed throughout her career for her wild and always unpredictable behavior, Sinead O’Connry revealed in 2007 during an interview with Oprah that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder four years prior. To this day, many of her hit records are still iconic the world over and she’s still making records with a huge fan base behind her.

Virginia Woolf
Virginia Woolf spent much of her life struggling with a condition which at the time had no name and was in no way understood like it is today. That condition was bipolar disorder, which during her life in the early half of the 20st century was largely overlooked or ignored altogether. She’s considered to be a hugely important modernist and is credited with penning some of the most outstanding literature of all time.

Vivien Leigh
From Gone With the Wind to A Streetcar Named Desire and so many more besides, the career of Vivien Leigh was quite simply unique and unparalleled. She picked up a great many rewards for how outstanding performances and led a life that few could have possible know was affected by bipolar disorder. She was often labeled as difficult to work alongside due to her extreme moods, though due to the incredible results she always produced, directors were more than willing to take her on board.

Vincent Van Gogh
Last but not least, one of the most famous sufferers of life-long mental health issues of all time is of course none other than Vincent Van Gogh himself. He’s known to have suffered from quite extreme Anxiety and often found it difficult to cope – this is what many believe enabled him to create such incredible works of art. He was also a well documents bipolar sufferer during his short life, which tragically came to an end at the age of 37.

Famous People with Bipolar Disorder

Famous People with Bipolar Disorder

For millions of people the world over, bipolar disorder is an everyday reality that can have a marked impact on their lives. The condition is characterized by extremes mood swings which vary from manic highs to incredibly depressive lows. At any given time of the day or night the individual can feel ecstatically elated for no reason, and then with no notice at all they can be plunged into a deep despair. In some case these mood swings are much less frequent and only have an effect a few times every year, but for others it can be a near-hourly occurrence. Unsurprisingly, it can feel very difficult to keep control of everyday life and emotions for those affected.

Bipolar affects almost 6 million people in the US alone, along with a large contingency of celebrities and famous faces.

10 Famous People with Bipolar Disorder
The achievements of the individuals listed below pay homage to the way in which conditions like bipolar are indeed life-affecting, but need not necessarily be life-destroying. In many cases it comes down to getting the right help at the right time, which is sadly something that the vast majority of sufferers overlook. While some are unwilling to have a problem, many do not realize they have a problem at all. This is why anyone with even the slightest inclination that they may be suffering from a mood-related issue owes it to themselves to consult a specialist as early as possible.

Carrie Fisher
Carrie Fisher is one of the world’s most famous and best-loved actresses, perhaps best known for her roles in the original Star Wars movies. She’s once again set to take up the role of Princess Leia in the new movies coming from the franchise over the coming years. She is a bipolar disorder sufferer, and only recently she began to open up about her problems with bipolar and drug abuse and has a story that continues to inspire millions.

Catherine Zeta-Jones
British beauty Catherine Zeta-Jones is perhaps one of the most famous bipolar sufferers in the world, having publically spoken of her struggles beginning in 2011. Along with her dozens of movie credits including The Mask of Zorro and Entrapment, this Golden Globe nominated actress is just as famous for her A-List marriage to Michael Douglas.

Jane Pauley
Veteran of NBC’s Today program with over 13 years under her belt, Jane Pauley is another example of a truly iconic figure that also happens to suffer from bipolar disorder. Despite being one of the most private celebrity faces on US television who doesn’t like to share too much about her private life, Pauley has frequently spoke of her troubles with bipolar and hopes to inspire others with the condition to speak out.

Jean-Claude Van Damme
The muscles from Brussels may be the very epitome of a hard-as-nails character in his famous movie roles, but in the real world his struggles with bipolar disorder are well-documented. Van Damme shot to fame in the martial arts blockbusters of the 1980s including Bloodsport and Kickboxer, though would go on to be diagnosed with bipolar in 1998. Explaining his condition and the way it makes him behave, he once famously said “Sometimes you’ll love me, sometimes you’ll hate me.”

Linda Hamilton
Linda Hamilton became a household name the world over after appearing as Sarah Connor in Terminator and its iconic sequel. She has been nominated for two Golden Globes during her career and admitted in 2005 during an interview with Larry King that she had for some time suffered from bipolar disorder. What’s more, she also said that the devastating effects of the condition were what cost her marriage to Bruce Abbott.

Mariette Hartley
Mariette Hartley’s star studded career was underpinned by long-term psychological problems including bipolar disorder. It was as early as 1990 that she fully spoke of the condition in her autobiography, making her one of the firs famous faces to go public on their struggles. In order to help others that may struggle with mood related issues, she went on to help found the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention which is credited with saving thousands of lives every year.

Sinéad O'Connor
Famed throughout her career for her wild and always unpredictable behavior, Sinead O’Connry revealed in 2007 during an interview with Oprah that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder four years prior. To this day, many of her hit records are still iconic the world over and she’s still making records with a huge fan base behind her.

Virginia Woolf
Virginia Woolf spent much of her life struggling with a condition which at the time had no name and was in no way understood like it is today. That condition was bipolar disorder, which during her life in the early half of the 20st century was largely overlooked or ignored altogether. She’s considered to be a hugely important modernist and is credited with penning some of the most outstanding literature of all time.

Vivien Leigh
From Gone With the Wind to A Streetcar Named Desire and so many more besides, the career of Vivien Leigh was quite simply unique and unparalleled. She picked up a great many rewards for how outstanding performances and led a life that few could have possible know was affected by bipolar disorder. She was often labeled as difficult to work alongside due to her extreme moods, though due to the incredible results she always produced, directors were more than willing to take her on board.

Vincent Van Gogh
Last but not least, one of the most famous sufferers of life-long mental health issues of all time is of course none other than Vincent Van Gogh himself. He’s known to have suffered from quite extreme anxiety and often found it difficult to cope – this is what many believe enabled him to create such incredible works of art. He was also a well documents bipolar sufferer during his short life, which tragically came to an end at the age of 37.

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar Disorder






Bipolar as the name indicates is a disorder exhibiting two extreme opposite orientation of behaviors namely maniac and Depression. It is a type of Mental Illness in which the affected individual might show changes in mood. There are two phases in bipolar disorder. Manic phase is characterized by high energy, impulsive behavior restlessness, powerful and euphoric feeling. Depressive phase is marked by loss of energy, sadness and in many cases with suicidal thoughts.

It does not mean that all people with bipolar disorder will show any of the two phases. They might experience normal moods between the episodes of manic and depressive episodes. Both the phases of mood swings can last for several months and for some people it can occur frequently as dramatic mood changes. They might behave like normal people but suddenly get irritated and becomes aggressive. With psychological intervention and effective treatments most of the symptoms of bipolar disorder can be managed. However it may take long term and the person affected should follow the treatment plan regularly.

Bipolar Disorder Types :

• Bipolar 1 : In this form, the mood swings are so severe that it can disrupt your normal activity and even relationships. You may not be able to go to school or office due to extreme manic reaction and anxiety.


• Bipolar 2 : In this type, people can with daily routine, in spite of elevated mood. It is less severe when compared with the first type. This form of bipolar disorder is marked by Hypomania (less severe form of mania) and depression.


• Cyclothymic Type : It is a mild kind of bipolar disorder wherein the highs and lows are not very extreme and affected person can remain in normal mood most of the time, with effective medications.

Bipolar Disorder Symptoms :

Bipolar disorder is characterized with mood swing and the affected person will exhibit dramatic mood changes. He may show manic and depressive phase of behavior frequently.

• Manic Phase :

During this period, the person may show symptoms of anxiety, restlessness, irritability, excitement, racing thoughts, increased sex drive and energy for attaining unachievable goals. The affected individual may have inflated self esteem, aggressive behavior, agitation, poor judgment, increased physical activity, less need for sleep, racing thoughts, risky behavior, spending too much of money, unruly sex behavior and addiction to drugs/alcohol. He may not be able to concentrate on work easily due to frequent distraction and racing of thoughts. He may absent frequently to office or school.

• Depressive Phase :

This is exactly opposite to manic phase. The individual may become sad and feel hopeless for no reason. He may feel guilty and preoccupied with thoughts of shame and despair. Lack of appetite, decreased energy, fatigue, loss of interest in work, loss of weight, problems in concentrating and frequent absences from workplace are some of the general symptoms in this phase.

It is during this period, the patient may have increased suicidal thoughts and frequent thought about death. For some people, mood can change according to season also. In extreme cases, bipolar disorder can cause rapid mood shifts disrupting their normal life. In rare cases, the person may undergo severe transformation resulting in psychoses, a deep state of detachment from reality which can cause abnormal feelings, delusions and hallucinations. They might see or hear things that does not exist and would have strong belief about what they see or hear.

Bipolar Disorder Causes :

There is no clear cut reason for bipolar disorder and even expert cannot explain why some people are affected and others are not. Changes in brain chemicals, any abnormal physical changes in brain and imbalance in hormone is believed to trigger bipolar disorder. If you have family history of mental illness you are likely to develop bipolar.

Who are at risk?

Bipolar disorder can occur to anyone, irrespective of age and sex. Adolescent age is crucial period with plenty of physical changes and hormonal imbalance which makes it prone to develop bipolar disorder. An individual who lives with high stress, witnesses sudden death of loved ones, who drinks or uses drugs for long term and who have blood relatives with similar disorder is more prone to get this disorder. People with prolonged anxiety disorder can develop bipolar disorder, if not treated.

Complications :

Bipolar disorder in mild form may not show serious symptoms. But in severe cases, it can cause problems in relationships, addiction to alcohol and more of physical as well as financial problems. It may affect your career in school due to frequent absence and for adults it can spoil your reputation in office. Intense thoughts of suicide can drive one to commit suicide and there are many cases of bipolar disorder who have committed suicide.

Bipolar Disorder Tests :

Based on your symptoms your doctor may do series of tests. He may order for lab tests including blood and urine analysis to check for any physical issues. Your doctor may refer to a psychiatrist who may do a thorough evaluation using questionnaire and self assessment tests. He may collect information about your symptoms and mood behavior from your family and close friends.

A person must show at least one major episode of manic or depressive behavior to be diagnosed for bipolar disorder. For some people symptoms can cause significant trouble in office and family. It is difficult to diagnose bipolar in children and adolescents since they show normal mood changes and behavior often.

Treatment :

Bipolar disorder often requires treatment for long-term, probably your life time. Medications, therapy and counseling are the available treatment. For people with severe elevated mood or severe suicidal thoughts your doctor may give in-patient treatment requiring hospitalization. Initially your doctor will give suitable doses of medications to control/manage symptoms, and you will have to maintain it regularly.

Mood stabilizing drugs like lithium is given to prevent highs and lows of bipolar disorder. Your doctor will monitor your kidney function and blood test since lithium can cause thyroid problem. Anticonvulsant medications like sodium valporate, divalproex and lamictal are prescribed for stabilizing moods. It can cause adverse effects like increase in weight, drowsiness and confusion.

Antipsychotic drugs like risperidone, aripiprazole or quetiapine are prescribed in suitable doses. To manage depressing mood, your doctor may prescribe tricyclic drugs or MAO inhibitors. Symbyax is an approved drug by FDA used for bipolar disorder. For managing anxiety and to get quality sleep, benzodiazepines like valium, Librium or lorazepam are given. Finding the right combination of medications can take some months for your psychiatrist. These drugs should not be used when you are planning for pregnancy and discuss with your doctor about it.

• Psychotherapy :

For some people medications are combined with cognitive behavior therapy to get rid of unhealthy beliefs and behaviors. Family therapy or group therapy is useful in building relationships. For extreme cases of severe depression, electroconvulsive therapy is given in which controlled electric current is sent directly to the brain to produce some expected changes.

Changes in Your Life :

If you are diagnosed with bipolar disorder ensue to take right medications from expert doctor. Do not get addicted to alcohol or substance. Get support from family and support groups. Do regular exercises and get enough sleep. Join yoga classes or meditation group to effectively manage your mood.

Tips for Prevention :

You cannot do anything to prevent bipolar disorder, since it is believed to be caused by certain chemical changes in your brain. Do not ignore warning signals to prevent symptoms from getting worse. Consult your doctor and inform your family also. Do not stop taking medicine unless your doctor says so.