I just discovered an interesting website about Bipolar Disorder that made me feel a little bit better; the Bipolar Disorder website actually had a page about people with Bipolar Disorder who were still alive. So many of the websites about Bipolar Disorder seem to focus on dead people who PROBABLY had Bipolar Disorder. It’s nice to see a list of people who are living, surviving, and sometimes even thriving despite and because of their Bipolar Disorder diagnoses’.

The celebrities and politicians on this list aren’t just alive; they have come forward and have spoken publicly about their Bipolar Disorder. As anyone who has been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder knows, coming forward and speaking about a mental illness isn’t easy. Can you imagine speaking about your experiences with Bipolar Disorder on national television?

Here’s a brief rundown of some of the famous people with Bipolar Disorder:

Politicians:

Congressman Patrick Kennedy.

Actors and Actresses:


Actress Patty Duke.

Actress Carrie Fisher.

Actor Maurice Benar.

Actress Linda Hamilton.

Actor Jean-Claude Van Damme.


Singers:

Singer Sinead O’Connor.

All of the people on this list have taken the time to speak publicly about their Bipolar Disorder in hopes of helping ordinary people like me and you. This isn’t just a list of people who are believed to have Bipolar Disorder, but people who have been diagnosed and are being treated for Bipolar Disorder by psychiatrists. I admire their courage in speaking out about Bipolar Disorder; in many ways, each of them risks public embarrassment and humiliation by telling the public about Bipolar Disorder.
The more people--famous and otherwise--that come forward and speak about their struggles with Bipolar Disorder, the easier it will be for the “ordinary” people amongst us to do the same.

We are not always defined by our Bipolar Disorder, but it can be a truthfully strong force in shaping our lives. It’s sometimes amazing to me that Bipolar Disorder patients don’t get the respect they deserve when they successfully deal with an illness that is so debilitating that many of those suffering from Bipolar Disorder end their own lives.

And, for those of you who may be struggling with Bipolar Disorder right now, just know that it does get easier and there are more and more treatment options each year. Sometimes the only thing those of us with Bipolar Disorder can do is hang on. And life, when it gets better, is definitely worth sticking around for.