A LOT OF FAMOUS PEOPLE HAVE COME FORWARD IN RECENT YEARS ADMITTING THEY WERE DIAGNOSED
WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER, KANYE
WEST, DEMI LOVATO, KATHERINE
ZETA JONES AND CARRIE FISHER.
NOW, HERE TO TALK ABOUT THIS IS
THE BODY IMAGE COUNSELING
CENTER.
IT’S A GOOD TOPIC TO TALK
ABOUT, MENTAL HEALTH.
IT’S NOT TABOO ANYMORE.
PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT IT AND
GETTING HELP THAT THEY NEED BUT
BIPOLAR DISORDER I’M NOT SURE
HOW THE SYMPTOMS REALLY DISPLAY
THEMSELVES.
A LOT OF PEOPLE IT’S EASY TO
GET CONFUSED WITH JUST BEING
DEPRESSED AND HOW DO YOU KNOW
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THAT AND
BIPOLAR.
>> IT IS EASY TO CONFUSE THE
TWO EVEN DOCTORS CONFUSE THE
TWO AND OFTEN MISDIAGNOSED IT
WHICH CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS.
OFTEN PEOPLE DON’T EXHIBIT
SYMPTOMS OF BIPOLAR UNTIL THEY
ARE ADULT.
BASICALLY THE DIFFERENCE IS
THAT BIPOLAR IS CHARACTERIZED
BY EXTREME MOOD SWINGS
INCLUDING MANIC EPISODE OF WHAT
WE CALL MANIA AND WHERE YOU
ENGAGE IN VERY DIFFERENT
BEHAVIORS LIKE GAMBLING OR
SPEEDING AND IT CAN ALSO BE A
PERIOD OF EXTREME CREATIVITY.
THERE ARE MANY FAMOUS OFFICE
THAT WE HAVE SEEN HAVE BIPOLAR.
VINCENT VAN GOGH IS ONE OF
THEM.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO
TREAT IT BECAUSE THEY THINK IT
IS THEIR BEST SELF BEING
DISPLAYED.
>> THEN THEY CAN GO DOWN TO
VARY EXTREME LOWS OF DEPRESSION
WHERE YOU DO TOO MUCH OR FEEL
SUICIDAL.
OFTEN TIMES WHEN PEOPLE COME
FOR HELP THEY ARE IN THE
DEPRESSIVE EPISODE AND DOCTORS
TREATED AS DEPRESSION.
IT’S DIFFERENT TREATMENT FOR
BIPOLAR.
>> IS BIPOLAR THING THAT
TRIGGERED OR DOES IT DOES
HAPPEN.
>> THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION.
I DEFTLY THINK THERE’S A
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT BUT WITH
BIPOLAR IT’S A MENTAL DISORDER,
IT’S GENETIC.
YOU CAN’T AVOID IT ALTHOUGH IT
CAN BE EXACERBATED.
>> IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING THE
SYMPTOMS THE BEST THING TO DO
IS TO TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR AND
BE OPEN AND HONEST AND PERHAPS
EVEN RECORD WHAT’S HAPPENING
TO.
>> IT’S GREAT THAT CELEBRITIES
HAVE COME OUT.
CARRIE FISHER WAS ALWAYS VOCAL
ABOUT HER MENTAL ILLNESS AND
CONNIE COMING OUT AND HELPS
PEOPLE FEEL THAT THEY CAN BE
BRAVE AND COME OUT, TOO AND IT
DOESN’T STIGMATIZE THEM.
>> WE DID THE SPECIAL AFTER THE
SCHOOL SHOOTING BUT A LOT OF
KIDS TALKED ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH
AND THEY WANTED SOMETHING TO BE
DISCUSSED IN SCHOOL TO HAVE THE
RESOURCES TO TALK TO PEOPLE.
THIS IS NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED
ABOUT.
EVEN IF IT’S AS SIMPLE AS
HAVING SEVERE DEPRESSION, THAT
IS STILL SOMETHING THAT CAN BE
DEALT WITH.
>> THEY ARE HIGHLY TREATABLE.
BIPOLAR DISORDER IS SOMETHING
YOU HAVE TO VE WITH FOR THE
REST OF YOUR LIFE BUT IT CAN BE
MEDICATED.
I DO SEE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
PEOPLE WHO ARE UNDIAGNOSED AND
STAY ON THEIR MEDS AND HIS
LIFE-CHANGING.
THEIR LIFE COULD’VE BEEN A
"TRAIN WRECK" BEFORE THEN AND
IT REALLY STABILIZES THEM.
EVEN EATING DISORDERS, IT CAN
EXPRESS ITSELF VERY
DIFFERENTLY.
>> THE RISKY BEHAVIOR, YES BUT
IT CAN BE OVER EATING, --
>> IT’S COMPLICATED.
YOU NEED TO GO TO A PROVIDER.
WE DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE
PEOPLE WHO CAN DIAGNOSE A
PERSON AND MEDICAID IT
PROPERLY.
IT’S ALWAYS A GOOD DISCUSSION
WHEN WE HAVE CELEBRITIES THAT
ARE WILLING TO COME OUT AND
TALK ABOUT IT.
WE SEE IT BECAUSE THEY WILL DO
STORIES WHERE THEY ARE ACTING
ERRATICALLY AND YOU’RE LIKE
WHAT’S GOING ON WITH THAT
PERSON AND THEY LATER COME OUT
AND SAY THIS IS WHAT IT IS.
>> YOU CAN LET SOMEONE KNOW IF
YOU FEEL THEY ARE EXHIBITING
THE SIGNS.
YOU DON’T TO SAY I THINK
THERE’S SOMETHING WRONG WITH
YOU AND YOU SHOULD GET IT
CHECKED OUT BUT THIS BEHAVIOR
ISN’T LIKE YOU OR THIS IS
MAKING YOUR LIFE VERY VOLATILE.
IT’S IMPORTANT TO HAVE A GOOD
CIRCLE AROUND YOU, PEOPLE WHO
KNOW YOU AND CAN TELL YOU AND
BE HONEST WITH YOU AND WORK
WITH A PROFESSIONAL TO GET THE
HELP YOU NEED.
IF YOU KNOW OF SOMEONE WHO
NEEDS SUPPORT, MAYBE IT’S
BIPOLAR DISORDER MAYBE THEY ARE
JUST DEALING WITH DEPRESSION.