Many of our greatest artists have publicly said they have bipolar disorder and yet there is so much miseducation out there and so much trolling.
Following the beliefs from Kanye West ‘s wife Kim Kardashian, friends and family that the star is having a “bipolar episode” it has caused a huge debate online and has tragically resulted in the rapper becoming victim to cruel taunts from trolls.
Daily Star Online spoke to Dr Patrick Kwesiga, the Chief Clinical and Operating Officer at Living Well UK, about why the world needs to send Kanye love right and not hate – as Kim pleaded for everyone to do so.
Mr Kwesiga said: “First of all, it is most crucial to note that mental health does not discriminate and can affect anyone at any time.
“With statistics showing that one in four of us will suffer with a mental health condition in our lifetime, it is clear that mental health is everyone’s business and concern.
“Therefore, making negative comments, ridiculing, or judging those suffering is not only insensitive but unnatural – it could always be you or your loved one next.”
Explaining why it is so dangerous to be judgemental towards the disorder, Dr Kwesiga continued: “Furthermore, the danger of this judgement is that it further leads to the stigmatisation of mental health conditions – in particular, those like bipolar disorder or other personality disorders.
“Seeing how those in prominent positions are treated negatively directly leads to those who are suffering not getting the help they need, in fear of ridicule themselves.
“This delay in getting help drives people who are struggling further into difficulties, and means that reaching crisis point is ever more likely. This has huge and far reaching effects, not just impacting the person themselves, but their loved ones, their communities, and in turn society as a whole.
“Without timely support and intervention from medical and psychological professionals, the residual effects can be much worse for all.”
Mr Kwesiga went on to voice how bipolar disorder “should be treated with the same compassion as all mental health diagnoses,” and that it is “important that people understand this”.
The doctor added: “If you, or a loved one, is diagnosed with BD, keep calm and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Remember to look after all elements of your health: mental, physical, and emotional, and as best as you can, create a calm environment around yourself.
“Keep positively active, exercise frequently, avoid bad habits, and stay socially connected.
“The love, support, and acceptance of those around someone who is diagnosed with BD or a personality disorder can have huge positive impacts on their day-to-day life, so educate yourself, become familiar with what it entails, and remember to act with compassion always.”
Kanye isn’t the only celebrity who has spoken publicly about how the disorder affects him.
Here are a few more celebrities who have BP and have previously shared their stories in a bid to educate the world.
Kanye West
American rapper Kanye West poses before French fashion house Christian Dior Autumn/Winter 2015/2016 women’s ready-to-wear collection show during Paris Fashion Week March 6, 2015. REUTERS/Charles Platiau (FRANCE – Tags: FASHION ENTERTAINMENT HEADSHOT)
Kanye, 43, who shares four children with Kim, has publicly spoken about his mental health and bravely opened up about being diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2018.
After he was diagnosed, he immediately started educating the world through his music and his interviews on what it’s really like to live with varying moods.
In May 2019, Kanye appeared on David Letterman’s Netflix show, “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction”.
During the interview, David asked the star: “What is the mechanism that is malfunctioning or is taking a break in your brain, do you know?”
Wife Kim has rightly asked the world to be kind to her husband right now (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
“I wouldn’t be able to explain that as much just because, you know, I’m not a doctor,” Kanye replied.
“I can just tell you what I’m feeling at the time, and I feel a heightened connection with the universe when I’m ramping up. It is a health issue.
“This – it’s like a sprained brain, like having a sprained ankle. And if someone has a sprained ankle, you’re not going to push on him more.
“With us, once our brain gets to a point of spraining, people do everything to make it worse.”
Kanye said at the time that he was under a doctor’s care and that he uses alternative treatment methods, but he thinks medication may work with others with bipolar disorder.
YNW Melly
YNW Kelly has been very open about his mixed personalities (Image: Getty Images for 2wenty 2wenty M)
Kanye’s friend and fellow successful rapper in his own right, YNW Melly – born Jamell Maurice Demons – even collaborated on a song with the Yeezy billionaire as they teamed up to raise awareness through their craft.
The pair released the song Mixed Personalities in 2019 on YNW Melly’s hit album We All Shine.
Using the music to share their personal psychological battles in a manner which can only be described as talented, honest and real – the song stands out for one reason.
In it, during Melly’s discography, he switches back-and-forth between himself and the “person inside him” – Melvin – who he confesses thinks about killing often and has evil tendencies.
The star once said about Melvin to Genius magazine: “Like, Melvin, the other, my other person inside. Melvin, that m*****f****r there every day, all day.
“Like, that’s what he be thinking about. That n***a wake up with the murder on his mind.”
The star has spoken of his mental health in interviews from time to time and has proclaimed that he suffers from bipolar disorder, a statement that he later retracted.
Furthermore, the Chicago rapper has had an opioid addiction, which can cause a great, negative impact on the brain and has also bravely confessed to it in a bid to put others off from going down that path.
He displayed his illnesses on his 2018 solo studio album, ye .
Speaking to Complex magazine in February 2019, the journalist says they asked if Melvin is an “alter-ego” to which the rapper “starred me dead in the eye” and said, “Melvin’s not an alter ego; it’s a person”.
Mariah Carey
NO MORE SOCIAL MEDIA: Mariah has quit social media for the time being (Image: GETTY)
Pop star and Christmas’ biggest star Mariah Carey revealed in April 2018 that she has had a lifelong battle with bipolar II, the less severe form of bipolar disorder.
She was diagnosed in 2001 but said she was “in denial” until two years ago, and revealed in 2018 that she seeks treatment that includes medication and therapy.
During an interview with People magazine, she opened up about her experience and spoke of how she was rushed to hospital in 2001 following a physical and mental health breakdown.
She said she “didn’t want to believe it” but was diagnosed with the disorder of varying moods after her stint in hospital.
Mariah told the magazine: “Until recently I lived in denial and isolation and in constant fear someone would expose me.
“It was too heavy a burden to carry and I simply couldn’t do that any more.
“I sought and received treatment, I put positive people around me and I got back to doing what I love – writing songs and making music.”
At the time, she said that she was currently in “a really good place”, and hoped that talking about her experiences would help change perceptions of the disorder.
Mariah said she is ‘in a good place’ and seeks help for treatments (Image: GETTY)
“I’m hopeful we can get to a place where the stigma is lifted from people going through anything alone. It can be incredibly isolating. It does not have to define you and I refuse to allow it to define me or control me.”
Initially, prior to her diagnosis, Mariah believed she was experiencing a severe sleep disorder.
She explained: “But it wasn’t normal insomnia and I wasn’t lying awake counting sheep. I was working and working and working…
“I was irritable and in constant fear of letting people down. It turns out that I was experiencing a form of mania.
“Eventually I would just hit a wall. I guess my depressive episodes were characterised by having very low energy.
“I would feel so lonely and sad – even guilty that I wasn’t doing what I needed to be doing for my career.”
Carrie Fisher
American actress Carrie Fisher on the set of Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi directed by Welsh Richard Marquand (Image: Corbis via Getty Images)
The Star Wars award-winning actress, who tragically died in December 2016, aged 60, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when she was 24 years old.
She spent her entire life putting pen to paper and vocalising her voice to end the stigma on the disorder and to share her experiences of what it really feel likes to live with varying moods from her perspective.
Carrie, spent the next 36 years being a mental health advocate and on many, many occasions was exuberant is describing her personal experiences so those who don’t have BP can begin to understand.
Along with many other iconic artists and stars, Carrie’s success started a debate on the relationship between the mental turmoil experiences with BP but also the creativity it can inspire.
Carrie was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when she was 24-years-old (Image: Getty Images)
Judith Schlesinger, a psychologist and author of “The Insanity Hoax: Exposing the Myth of the Mad Genius” said of Carrie shortly after her death: “She was so important to the public because she was telling the truth about bipolar disorder, not putting on airs or pontificating, just sharing who she is in an honest-to-the-bone way.”
Answering a question about the disorder from the audience at the Indiana Comic-Con in 2015, Carrie said: “It is a kind of virus of the brain that makes you go very fast or very sad. Or both. Those are fun days.
“So judgment isn’t, like, one of my big good things. But I have a good voice. I can write well. I’m not a good bicycle rider. So, just like anybody else, only louder and faster and sleeps more.”
She then grabbed the mic and sang, in mock-ballad voice, “Oh manic depression … oh how I love you.”
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain’s cousin Beverly says the star was diagnosed with bipolar disorder (Image: Getty Images)
On April 8, 1994, the lead singer and guitarist of Nirvana, was found dead at his home in Seattle, Washington
Kurt Cobain died at the age of 27 and during his inquest it was determined he had died three days earlier, on April 5.
The Seattle Police Department incident report states that Cobain “was found with a shotgun across his body, had a visible head wound and there was a suicide note discovered nearby”.
Following his death, it became heavily speculated that the star had bipolar disorder.
The speculation started when people began paying more attention to his song Lithium – named after the most important drug in treating bipolar disorder.
In an interview with Chris Morris of Musician, Kurt said the song was about: “Breaking up with girlfriends and having bad relationships, feeling that death void that the person in the song is feeling – very lonely, sick.”
After Kurt’s heartbreaking suicide his cousin, Beverly Cobain, who is a registered nurse and had 15 years of experience as a mental health professional by Kurt’s death, reeducated her life to teaching and crusading for suicide prevention.
(Image: FilmMagic)
Since then, Beverly has authored the acclaimed book When Nothing Matters Anymore: A Survival Guide for Depressed Teens, has spoken around the USA about suicide prevention, and has been honoured by numerous mental health and youth organisations for her efforts.
During an interview with Health Day, Beverly was asked if she had any idea if Kurt had any mental health issues prior to his suicide.
She replied: “Kurt was diagnosed at a young age with Attention Deficit Disorder [ADD], then later with bipolar disorder [also known as manic-depression].
“Bipolar illness has the same characteristics as major clinical depression, but with mood swings, which present as rage, euphoria, high energy, irritability, distractibility, overconfidence, and other symptoms.”
Beverly reiterated the importance of people being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and other mental health-related illnesses early on in life so that appropriate treatment can be sought to ensure a fulfilling and happy life is led.
“As Kurt undoubtedly knew, bipolar illness can be very difficult to manage, and the correct diagnosis is crucial. Unfortunately for Kurt, compliance with the appropriate treatment is also a critical factor.”
For emotional support you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.
Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato was diagnosed with bipolar disorder back in 2011 (Image: demilovato/Instagram)
The now 22-year-old bravely spoke out about her bipolar disorder diagnosis after she entered rehab back in 2011.
After her stint in rehab, she was finally diagnosed with the disorder after years of battling bulimia, self-harm and drug addiction.
She’s now the face and spokesperson for a campaign called Be Vocal: Speak Up for Mental Health which focuses on encouraging people with mental illness to speak up, as well as for others to raise their voices in support of changing the way mental illness is talked about and breaking down the stigma surrounding it.
Demi told Women’s Health Magazine in May 2015: “It’s a passion of mine—mental health advocacy—and I’ve decided to partner up with Be Vocal because it’s something that’s really powerful when it comes to not only informing people about what mental illness is, but also what you can do to get help.”
She added that she wants women to know that “it’s possible to live well, feel well, and also find happiness with bipolar disorder or any other mental illness they’re struggling with”.
“I remember sitting with my manager and my family and talking to them about whether or not to speak out about the issues that I was dealing with,” she told the publication.
“I knew that there were two options: I could either not talk about my stint in rehab and hope that it went away, or I could talk about it and inspire people to get help for their issues, as well, so that’s exactly what I did.”
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
