[cool09]

Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, Carrie Fisher, Jim Carrey, Dolly Parton, etc.

These are/were highly productive people. They must be good at putting on faces or something. I don't get it.

[Gus1234U]

a lot of people function with all kinds of disabilities. sometimes it's 'will-power', sometimes it's good meds and other supports,,, sometimes they just hide when they are at their worst. we are all functioning on some level, just to be here~!

A high degree of Bipolar people are extremely creative - whether it be visual and the performing arts or just plain thinking power. Consequently arts such as dramatic see a large number of mentally ill persons drawn to it. It is not surprising to learn then of so many celebrities having mental illnesses. Often, it may be the illness itself that drives the success (think Robin Williams for very good example). People with incredible talents and personalities are also often found out to be mentally ill. It too takes creativity in some shape or form I think. I point to schizophrenics with in incredible talent for science and figures. I think too that avant garde thinking is to an extent bipolar, hence some over the top thinkers down through history.

Now I say, how many of us manage to put on a brave face and hide our own illnesses from the public?

[Artchic528]

Sometimes they do get great support, but there are a lot of cases of celebrities who self destructed to the point of passing away, most often from an OD, or other means. One example I can think of right off hand was Whitney Houston. For the sake of not triggering anyone, I won't say more, but that was only one of many examples of mental health gone awry in the Entertainment Industry.

[cool09]

how many of us manage to put on a brave face and hide our own illnesses from the public?

I did it to an extent years ago in school and work but people caught on sooner or later and called me on it. Cost me my job and bankruptcy. I managed to subdue my high anxiety in large classes. I never learned to speak well due to my illness.

Yes, Robin Williams was the poster child for mania and racing thoughts, imo.

[Artchic528]

It's kind of tragic how the funniest men and women in the Entertainment Industry usually can't find joy in life themselves. They can make the world roll on the floor laughing til their sides ache, but inside they are all sadness and despair.

[Carmina]

It's possible to have serious problems and still be high functioning.

[OblivionIsAtHand]

Very carefully.

[possum220]

They function as best they can. Some people who have a mental illness are high functioning regardless of whether they are famous or not.

[*Laurie*]

Originally Posted by cool09

Yes, Robin Williams was the poster child for mania and racing thoughts, imo.

Robin Williams might have had some mania going on, and he certainly battled with depression. But the bulk of his "mania" was induced by cocaine. Cocaine, especially good quality coke, can mimic mania.

There are so many, many celebrities with mental illnesses. Plenty of them self-medicate with drugs and/or alcohol, or they get prescriptions from doctors they pay high fees to. And they often have a doctor/s on salary.

Famous people have the money to create homes that are like retreats with a staff to care for everything, so they can hide away when they're having mental health issues. They also tend to push themselves very hard, oftentimes way too hard and some of them, sadly, end up dying that way. Look at Michael Jackson and Tom Petty.

Then too, a lot of celebrities cannot hide their mental illness. Then it's spread all over the media.

[DP_2017]

I'm not famous but I'm a master at faking it.... no one around me really nows how depressed or anxious I am, most actually think I'm doing well. I'm not sure what the secret is, it's something I learned at a young age to just get by in a family that didn't allow or accept emotions, other than happy/content.

It has made therapy very hard for me because I constantly shut down when I feel emotions surfacing.

[eskielover]

They usually have a staff of people, secretary to keep up with appointments, a cook to make meals....the only thing they have to do is go out & do their job which usually lets them portray their condition in a good light making others wonder if they are just really creative thinkers, never wondering if MI is at the foundation of it until something happens where it can't be covered up.

The point that drugs mimic MI conditions is another question & with illegal drugs being so prevalent is fields of success it makes it hard to tell which is cause or effect.

[Carmina]

Originally Posted by DP_2017

I'm not famous but I'm a master at faking it.... no one around me really nows how depressed or anxious I am, most actually think I'm doing well. I'm not sure what the secret is, it's something I learned at a young age to just get by in a family that didn't allow or accept emotions, other than happy/content.

It has made therapy very hard for me because I constantly shut down when I feel emotions surfacing.

Yes same for me

[seesaw]

I think it's funny you bring up Carrie Fisher, who was a terrible drug addict. That's how she functioned...I think that's how a lot of them function.

[Minnow]

Originally Posted by DP_2017

I'm not famous but I'm a master at faking it.... no one around me really nows how depressed or anxious I am, most actually think I'm doing well. I'm not sure what the secret is, it's something I learned at a young age to just get by in a family that didn't allow or accept emotions, other than happy/content.

It has made therapy very hard for me because I constantly shut down when I feel emotions surfacing.

This is me too. I only let a select few know about my MI and they are family and two friends. Without their support, I'm not sure where I'd be.

[eskielover]

The thing is that anyone familiar wirh the symptoms or behaviors of certain MI's ut us obvious what is going in with them even if it is drug induced & if you have lived with someone with MH issues one recognizes it in others so it is not always that well hidden as we become more educated about the symptoms

[carcrashonrepeat]

I was good at hiding my MI too. Then again, I wasn't completely aware of my MI either. I just thought "well, I guess this is just who I am."

Stephen Fry's documentary is great to watch. It was the first time I felt like I understood what was going on with me. But because they were celebrities, I didn't think my issues were that serious. Ha, little did I know...

There is a common misconception that the MI is what makes people creative. And I think those around them perceive symptoms as a sign of eccentricity. So there's this atmosphere of not rocking the boat. I think awareness today has changed that a little, thanks to people like Carrie Fisher.

[cool09]

I can see how painters, sculptors with MI have a creative edge. When my symptoms are severe colors jump out at me. In wheat fields the thousands of shades of brown are overwhelming.

It doesn't seem like bipolar illness effected Winston Churchill's speech. I'm barely coherent.

[*Laurie*]

Originally Posted by cool09

I can see how painters, sculptors with MI have a creative edge. When my symptoms are severe colors jump out at me. In wheat fields the thousands of shades of brown are overwhelming.

Yes, exactly. Do you miss that when you're not manic?