My Support Forums - View Single Post - Catherine Z-Jones-Michael Douglas

htebsiL radnalaS · Aug 11, 2013, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobbarita

ORIGINAL POST
Long post...I don't recall which celebrity first "came out of the closet" about BP. Was it Patty Duke? Vivian Leigh pre-dated Patty, it was Manic Depression then...Doesn't really matter but this Hollywood divorce stirred up some thoughts and feelings in me. I was correctly diagnosed in 2007 as BP1. I thought I came to terms with my diagnosis quickly, but the impact of being secretive about it lurked around me. Who knew, who didn't know, who should never know, etc. And these feelings have vastly increased.

My BP dx did change my marriage, but it was far less important than other relationship/marital issues that pre-dated my BP, so I've just divorced after 20 years of marriage. I got an attorney, served the papers, etc. And the "initial attack" by the opposing party was the battle cry "SHE'S BIPOLAR! BIPOLAR! SHE'S MANIC!"

I didn't deny I was BP, I had been seeing a P-Doc, was compliant with meds, etc. P-doc did a "chart summary" by appointment dates, and I had been keeping mood charts, (documentation), of my zig-zag mood pattern which correlated with the increased marital strife . It was not rocket science to deduce that if I didn't have the courage to end the marriage, ie. get away from him, he would be instrumental in exacerbating either mania or depression which no combination, increase, or change of meds would help. So said my pdoc. And I knew he was right.

I was not about to medicate myself more with drugs. The pdocs documentation along with the mood charts "proved" my BP had very little to do with anything. What it demonstrated was the arguments, (initiated 95% by my ex who had anger/rage/temper issues), built up the stressful environment, in which BP's do not do well. Also demonstrated that when the ex was gone for a week or so my mood was level and there were no problems. Pdoc said I was not manic, which I wasn't.

At any rate, beginning to date various gentleman, the conversation tonight turned to "current events" and I listened quietly and nodded as my date discussed BP, or "his understanding" of it. I didn't mention anything about myself.

Obviously news coverage of Catherine's admitted BP was more that we, the ordinary people BPer's will receive, but due to my personal experiences I am retiring to the back of the closet. I only share it with other BP friends. I feel sorry for Catherine Zeta-Jones. I suspect Michael is no "charm" to deal with either. He understands cancer and remission. It baffles me that some others whose ailments and illnesses can only be well controlled, not "cured" do not seem to understand this about BP. I do hope that it is only press sensationlism that is quoting Michael Douglas somehow attributing his throat cancer to Catherine's BP. If so, in my opinion that is horrid and untrue.

First YAY! for how you, your pdoc and the legal system supported a realistic assessment of what it means to have a BP dx... Stress. Stress. Stress. Let's say, for example, another woman in your shoes without a psych dx might have turned to some addiction to cope with the stress of being around your ex. Bottom line, stress affects every single being. How we respond, how our body/spirit/mind responds to it, is uniquely individual...

I agree that it is &$*^#@ media sensationalism that has twisted things to imply that MDouglas said his cancer was caused by her BP. (I remember him clarifying another media *&%$# saying he doesn't believe his cancer was caused by any HPV dx). It actually really pisses me off though because we do NOT need any more ignorance attached to the BP dx especially.

And after reading some of the follow-up posts, I understand being tired of hearing CZJ in the same sentence as BP. For me I'm annoyed in part because while I do think that when public people go public about some stigmatized thing, it can help the rest of us private citizens... but only when they take it on as a badge of honor and spokesperson, when it is done in a positive light... CZJ's reluctance to say much about it is clear evidence she was media-outed. That, in and of itself was and will always be the *&%@# media's poison. I appreciate that she hasn't denied it or spoken about BP in any negative sense...

I also agree that to question her dx is no different than questioning my dx. In 1990 I had my first and only manic episode. I've had plenty of manageable hypo-manic episodes since then. Don't compare my insides to other people's outsides... I live in Los Angeles. I actually feel/see/live in this superficial fake Hollywood mentality... I'm not "in the biz" as they say here so I see more of this Hollywood effect because I'm on the outside looking at the bigger picture (pun

intended)... Is it a coincidence or this environment that has engraved this in my mind:
Don't compare my insides to other people's outsides...
Don't compare my insides to other people's outsides...
Don't compare my insides to other people's outsides...

I'm not surprized that when we see her CZJ presents herself very well... SHE'S A HOLLYWOOD ACTOR!

That's what they're skilled at! A C T I N G!

We see her when she knows she will be getting videotaped/interviewed/filmed... Of course she doesn't fit any BP stereotype (whatever that is...) For me, she represents a stable successful, intelligent, beautiful, creative, classy woman who has the same dx that I have.

And then on the flip side, when the Brittany Spears' and the like, have had public emotional mental break downs, we judge them.

So today I make a promise to myself: I am going to stop judging anyone who seems to share any similarity to what I like to refer to as my sensitive brain... We come in all shapes, sizes, colors, incomes, intellect, genders, cultures, professions, home-status, education, weight gain, work status, abilities, disabilities, coping skills, etc etc etc...