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Bipolar in the Media: Boosting or Busting the Stigma
by bp insider
Posted by Beatrice Laurey (bp Magazine Graphic Designer)
After reading the posts on Britney over the past few weeks it has become clear that many feel that all the publicity around Britney and other celebrities has added to the stigma that surrounds bipolar disorder. We saw a few responses, however, that lead us to believe that, if handled more responsibly, the media frenzy around celebrities such as Britney Spears, may be an invaluable opportunity to educate the general population about bipolar disorder and effectively lessen the stigma. How can this be achieved? Do you feel that this is a possibility or do you think that the current climate suggest that the stigma will continue to grow? Would the subject of bp in the media be an interesting article that bp Magazine should pursue?
Be Heard!
28 Comments so far:
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I do believe to that the media should discuss Mental Illness. However, I do believe that the public still doesn’t understand this illness. I wish more public people would come forward. I also think we should be doing more public service announcements surrounding mental illness. Each news station should follow a “real life” example of someone’s life. I was so upset yesterday with Heath Ledger’s death this week when they showed his character as the Joker, A schizophrenic person. You see my son suffers from Schizoaffective disorder and he tried to commit suicide last week. We were in the ER for 7 hours, my son was psychosis and there they were so overcrowded. I can’t tell you how many people starred at us. You can see in a person’s eyes when they are sick. It was an eye opening experience. Also, the public does not understand how expensive it is to treat this disease. There are limited resources for family’s. The average cost to have someone with mental illness get help in a residential facility ranges from $6000 to $8700 a month. How can someone afford this? This past year the out of pocket for my son has been well over $40K.I am about to loose my home in the process. So let’s get real and find any means to publicly feed the media with information so we can get government funding to help these people. Oh, by the way on another subject, let’s discuss how are jails are becoming insane asylums. Some of these inmates need to be in hospitals not jail.
my daughter, 29, has a 3 year old son. she is suddenly rejecting him and wants nothing to do with him. she has bipolar disorder and 2 suicide attemps about 6 years ago. is the child at risk?
I do think the media should be used a tool to educate the masses about bipolar disorder and many other mental diseases that plague our youth and adults alike. I recently have had my 4 year old daughter diagnosed with Early Onset Bipolar disorder. I cannot tell you how many people have either told me 1. They do not believe this can happen to children 2. They do not believe in mental disease 3. Believe I need parenting classes instead of medications 4. That I am killing my daughter by placing her on medication. 5. Or just stare at me like I am losing it when I tell them the events of my household. This is the public persona of mental disease. People honestly believe I should live in fear of my daughter might do to herself or to her siblings instead of getting her the help she so desperately needs. That is the result of a society led to believe there is something “wrong” with mental diseases as a whole. Education is the only way to combat these ingrained ideals. Furthermore, I believe school districts need to be better equipped to handle children with mental diseases. This is a generalization, but most are just as ignorant as the general public, but I am supposed to place my fragile daughter into their care on a daily basis? What an injustice to my daughter. She did not do this to herself or ask for any of this to happen, but she must live with the ignorance of others for the rest of her life.
Associating bipolar with shocking and irresponsible behavior of a star, or other person in the media, can do nothing other than increase stigma. Recently, in a Minnesota town, police shot and killed a man who had entered another’s house and was threatening the police with broken glass and a metal pipe. The first descriptor of the man was “has bipolar disorder”, blaming the behavior on uncontrolled mental illness. Later in the story, they reported that he was on meth which is know to cause irrational, violent behavior. Bipolar or meth, which actually caused the violence? We may never know, but the public now thinks it was caused by bipolar disorder. And, the stigma of having bipolar continues, in part due to media coverage of crimes. Would we allow this if the man was described as a “black man” instead of a “a man with bipolar disorder”?
Famous or not - I don’t think it matters who comes out of the “bipolar-closet” – it is a personal journey.
Unfortunate, it is too easy for people to label others or themselves as being bipolar to excuse unstable behavior. It doesn’t make my day any better or worse to know that Britney Spears or Robin Williams is bipolar. Again, it’s a personal journey.
To the mother with a daughter who has a three year old son… don’t let her “get away” with being a detriment to herself, her son, or you. Being bipolar is TREATABLE, she just has to “do the work” and get healthy. Hold her accountable for her actions, and video take her in lowest moments – it’s a HUGE wake up call to see yourself on tape acting like a jack#**.
I LOVE that there is a magazine dedicated to me and/or us. It makes me feel normal when I read it cover to cover… whatever “normal” is!?
Once again Bipolar Disorder has hit the sp otlight being made very public, and no surprise, being seen in a negative way.
This could be used as educational, provided Britney gets whatever help she needs, and starts acting responsibly again…that would show so many people that this is treatable…However we would need the Media to report that side of it…For some reason though, it probably won’t happen that way…the only thing that will be reported es anything she does that’s not considered “normal”.
The real problem lies not only with the media, for reporting only the bad…but with the thirst out there for tales of the horrible things someone else has done.
I think the worst thing that has happened to bipolar consumers in along time is Brittany Spears. Imagine waiting in line at the grocery store and looking at a magazine with a messed up Brittany on the front page that reads, “Bipolar.” What could be worst that than?
In my opinion, bp Magazine SHOULD pursue writing an investigative article on how the media mishandles reporting mental illness in general, and especially among the “rich and famous”. It’s a sad fact that sensationalism sells copies of newsprint whether they are respectable newspapers or the trashy supermarket tabloids.
But, the subject of a person suffering from bipolar or any other mental illness is NOT sensational, nor should it be treated as such. If stigma is going to diminish in any way in our lifetime ( and I’ve been dealing with bipolar for 36 years now ), we have to deal with HOW the media perceives our disorder,and stress the positive outcome of treatment and hope of recovery.
I believe ALL of us… bp Magazine, NAMI, DBSA, MHA, SAMHSA, and those of us who struggle with the disorder can put pressure on the media by confronting their slanted reporting, and criticizing the way they perpetuate stigma. How? By writing letters to the editor and those agents/owners of news media who have the greatest influence over them.
The more that bipolar disorder is discussed in a responsible way, publicly, the better! Too many people exhibit symptoms for a very long time before getting assessed for a mental disorder. If there were better public understanding of symptoms and the many ways in which the disorder alters a person’s judgement - and hence their choices - and their attitudes and emotions - without necessarily fitting the common negative stereotype of a mental illness - then people might be encouraged to find their way to assessment, diagnosis and treatment earlier. And we know that the earlier this disorder is treated, the better the long-term prognosis. Far too often - unusual or extreme behaviour or emotions are rationalized, not just by the individual, but by his or her friends, family members - and even inadequately educated doctors. It’s as though everyone prefers to rationalize the behaviour away, attributing it to the many other stressors and complications of life, or even to malign that person’s character - rather than recognize or even consider that the person may be ill and need help. It is for these reasons that my husband was not properly assessed or diagnosed for 10 years, during which time he almost destroyed our relationship and almost lost his life. No one recognized that he was exhibiting “symptoms”. With diagnosis and treatment, we have regained our wonderful life together. Indeed, media spotlight creates an opportunity for education, but if journalists do not lead the discussion responsibly, providing accurate information and encouraging sensitive enquiry, then media can end up reinforcing stigma rather than reducing it. I strongly encourage bp magazine to do a big issue on bp in the media.
I realize the public loves controversy and excitement, and so the drama of uncontrolled bipolar disorder is intriguing. It’s reasonable to share that, so long as we also share diagnosis, treatment, wellness, and resolution. My book, “Mommy I’m Still in Here” does that. Available for only a week, I’ve already received letters from many grateful parents who no longer feel so alone, isolated, and frightened. Share the news, but share the good news, too!
Kate McLaughlin
www.katemclaughlin.net
As an African American living in recovery from a mental illness, I believe the media needs to talk about mental illness, period. I have found that the Black community needs to know that there is help out there. You don’t have to suffer with a mental illness. You can live in recovery with a mental illness. www.anotherlifefoundation.org
People need to discuss all mental illness a lot more to disperse the stigma that is so widely felt. The media and entertainment world (TV, Movies, etc.) glamorize the “crazy” of Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia & Depression. What kind of incentive is that giving anyone to seek help or guidance if they start to feel their own kind of “crazy?” I recently designed a blog to discuss how it feels to be a person living with Bipolar Disorder. The following is my profile description:
***I am an above average mother of three. I am married to a great husband. I am a successful and creative individual. I own a house and a car, in fact, I own a couple of each. I believe in honesty, integrity and passionate conversation. I enjoy being funny but I’m also hiding behind my humour. I have dark days and this is where I bury them. I am someone you know. I am bipolar.***
www.darkdaythoughts.blogspot.com
I wrote a story for my blog about my experience with having bipolar disorder and how it affected my children and family. It is a success story that I called, “My Grass is Greener,” and I believe it gives a good indication of how we REALLY SHOULD further educate people…all people…even celebrities. Aren’t they, in fact, just a shinier version of us?
May one less person suffer because I had the courage to step forward and shake the mental illness “stigma” tree!
L. MacNeil
It seems that over the past few years, being ‘bipolar’ is somewhat trendy. The media and corroborating pschiatrists/psychologists have been praising the ‘creative’ ability of those who are bipolar, even there is no evidence in that rumour. I was diagnosed 5 years ago, and the stigma was there - ‘oh no, mental illness’ - but since then, it seems more and more stars are being diagnosed bipolar because of their behaviour. Our world is naturally bipolar (consumerism, working to retire, working many hours to get a better position, keeping up with the ‘jones’ next door, etc. Society is asked to be one extreme and the other. We are to work hard and long hours, but we are supposed to spend time with our children and family to be a good parent. But, being a good parent means making money…so what gives? Only those of us who have experienced mania can appreciate the natural bipolarity of the world around us, because in that manic state, we are on ‘overdrive’ - even though others see us as being exceptionally well-organized!!
So, in conclusion, I do think that the Media is making this the ‘disease of the stars’ because when it is being discussed, those ‘chosen’ to be discussed are stars. Most people still don’t understand bipolar and how you can’t just ‘get over it’.
I feel like there could be an opportunity but I’m just not sure if it is possible with the greedy media and tabloids just trying to sell magazines with such sensational headlines about her being ‘crazy’ and ‘insane’. I’m just not sure they (the tabloids) are interested in being responsible and trying to end stigma. I felt so happy when Oprah did a few shows on Bipolar and helped get the word out and lessen the stigma by having some celebrities who were living well with bipolar on her show and now it feels like we have taken a step back.
I feel bad for Britney and I hope she is able to get whatever treatment she needs.
I recently heard a radio broadcast discussing the Britney ‘media circus’ blitz–the speaker noted that the main reason for this frenzy it that it’s a “huge money maker” for various vendors and entertainment/media businesses. How very sad that instead of seeing this situation for what it is, a very ill young woman in desperate need of help, her misery is being exploited to make money for others. If this is the only way these people know how to bring in profits, they should be strongly encouraged to turn some of their profit around and donate it to research toward cures for mental illness and give donations to mental health organizations that try, on a daily basis, to help those afflicted with mental disease, as well as their families. My son suffers from BP, and if I had had to fend off the media on top of trying to deal with the family crises his illness caused, I think it would have driven me to violence (vs. the media!!) If you agree that too many media sources are promoting stimatization of the mentally ill, please take the time to write a letter or two to an editor, a corporate head, or your local news station, and help bring them to a higher awareness. These are true, physiological, chemical diseases and not the fault of those who suffer from them. They can be treated with medication if help can reach the afflicted person. Let’s have a little sympathy, not more gawking and gossip! Thank you.
What Dr. Phil did was intrusive, unprofessional and a clear and blatant violation of HIPPA. The facility where Britney was hospitalized is also in violation of HIPPA regulations and all involved should be cited and fined.
Mental illness that requires hospitalization for stabilization does not render a person to be without rights or a say-so in their care and treatment, though perhaps for a short while someone else may need to make legal or ethical decisions for them. Just because her family wanted Dr. Phil’s opinion, unless Britney did he should have stayed away, and if she did then he should have respected with confidentiality anything and everything about her condition, care and treatment.
Privacy is every person’s privlege, even when that person is a public figure. The media should not be used to exploit or sensationalize persons with mental illness, but should rather be a forum to educate the public about what mental illnesses are and how they can be treated and cared for, also how many courageous and gifted people have been able to overcome their illnesses enough to be able to make tremendous contributions to society. This would have more meaning and be more encouraging and enlightening than tabloid reviews.
To whom it may concern:
We are a group of graduate students in the USC occupational therapy program. Currently, our psychosocial class is learning about the stigma people with mental illness encounter everyday and how that stigma negatively impacts their sense of self, health, and well being. Recently, Britney Spears has been targeted and labeled as having a mental illness by non-health care professionals. In addition, she has been labeled as having bipolar disorder, adding to the stigma surrounding bipolar disorder. Many people may not know what bipolar disorder is, and by labeling a famous person with this disease, this kind of attention may be giving the public the wrong idea about mental disorders. Instead of labeling Britney Spears and allowing others to assume what that label entails by her recent publicized behaviors, BP Magazine could use this opportunity to correctly inform people about bipolar disorder. There are many ways of achieving this, such as quoting a mental health to dispel misconceptions about the disorder and having people with bipolar disorder share their life experiences, especially their experiences of stigma. People seem to be very enthralled by the recent behaviors of Britney Spears; therefore, people may be very interested in learning more about certain mental disorders. Instead of adding to the stigma of labels such as bipolar disorder, members of the media and BP Magazine could use this opportunity to inform, teach, and spread awareness to the public.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Andrew, Ruth, Jennifer, Marcy, Nozomi, and Ginny
USC graduate students
I think it is good that Spears is in the news with bipolar attached. It makes me feel that I am close to normal if she has it. We have something in common. It shrinks the gap between the top of society and the bottom. Both can be bipolar. Hope she can help me more in the future with her recovery skills. You know they will follow her and thats great. Good luck to her shes a real trooper.
I have Bi-polar disoreder. Many people I know did not know what Bi-Polar was or some of them thought it was something totally different. There are alot of people in our world that do suffer from this. Many of them do not know it or just have not been fully treateaed for it. I was diagnoised bi-polar when I was about 12. The doctors told me and my mom that I was still growing and things were still chaning so I could not be properly diagnosied until I was a little bit older, so they called it a mood disorder. So I am 19 years old now and am now diagonised bipolar. People in our world today need to be eduacted and informated about Bi-Poalr and other Mental Health disorders, I feel that if we informeded others of theses disorders and help them understand them. Not very many people know what Bi-Polar is like and some do, I feel people need to be aware and understand others mental health issuses even if you only work with them or go to school with them, for me it is a scence of being accepted and leting others know what you are going through.
It helps me everyday when I explain my illnesses and disorders to other people. I feel they will use it again someday.
Now with the media and Britney Spears. Not to offend anyone at all. I feel that the media gives Bi-Polar a bad rap. Looking at Brintey Spears and seeing all the crazy things she does, makes me think that people will look at bi-poalr as your crazy. I agree with some people when they say we should show real lives of people who live with bi-polar disorder. When you watch a Tv show and someone on the show plays someone with bi-polar that stuff irratates me they are using an actor to portay someone who had an illnes but in real life they dont. i know they are actors and what not but they dont understand what it is really like to live with bi-polar unless you have it. Bi-poalr should be educatedin a posotive way. Not by The Media they make it look and seem so bad. It is treatable but you have to work at it. There isnt a magic pill. I have Bi-Polar and I would love to talk about my experiences. they are so many other things I could say but I’ll keep it short..
What moved me about Britney Spears is that she is an independent, capable person clearly suffering from an emotional breakdown that may or may not be bi-polar disorder, and, due to her celebrity, she lacks the supports that I or others might have. Instead, her wealth and celebrity encourage hangers-on and others who do not have her best interest at heart; she, being in the throws of a breakdown, cannot recognize or act on her own behalf in a responsible and effective manner. She is incredibly vulnerable and needs help. Any substance abuse on her part compounds the matter. It amazes me how so many are calloused and cynical regarding her situation and how the tabloid media has taken to such abusive language in describing her situation. As a consumer, I find it frightening, not only for her but for all of us, because the cynicism and lack of empathy reveal a great deal of intolerance, prejudice, bias and the capacity for acts of hatred against those who are different, vulnerable and just having difficulties. I am sure that there are people who live out the same story as Ms Spears daily, only without the glare of the spotlight. I would think that any respectful, intelligent discussion on living with mental illness in an intolerant society would be of great interest.
Yes!
Definitely do it. This is SUCH an opportunity.
I like the rest of the world thought, at the beginning, all the Britney coverage was an annoying distraction of a young celebrity acting out. But, as the coverage continued and she began to really spiral I began to recognize the signs and behavior. And I said a prayer of thanks I wasn’t a star in MY 20’s. By the time Britney was last hospitalized and diagnosed, I was saying to myself, “DUH!”, at the great ‘revelation’ that she was bipolar.
Anyhoo. I’m sure the media frenzy will continue and this is an unprecedented opportunity to educate the public.
Hey. If you can get Oprah to do another show, people might actually listen.
There are a few influential people who are outspoken about their experiences with bipolar disorder - Patty Duke and Linda Hamilton coming first to mind. The media feeds on negative stories and that is why bipolar carries such a stigma. The effects of bipolar disorder can be ugly at times but at other times can be equally as beautiful.
The science of pharmacology has managed to bring to the forefront many of the mental health illnesses that plague Americans today. By way of advertising, they have provided the fastest method of de-stigmatizing the many conditions of mental unwellness. Although self-serving and for the purposes of stock-holders and finances, pharmaceutical companies continue to develop and upsell the very medications we find essential to quiet the symptoms of our illness. But pharamaceutical TV and print ads give us hope and offer an answer to our immediate problem. Through trial and error, the end justifies the means.
Scientific researchers must not be denied their place of importance. As they study the brain, they bring to the table knowledge that may someday alter lives and change the direction of the disorder known as Bipolar and so many other diseases. They are the investigators, they by nature are curious humanitarians. Theirs will not cover up the symptoms, theirs will dramatically alter future generations.
Often families perpetuate the stigma by denying the illness or become embarassed as if it was their own. Consumers perpetuate the stigma by internalizing the illness as if it is their fault. It is neither. If worthy, support groups are a wonderful way of shedding off the old beliefs and allowing the new. If Bipolar is an American buzz word than the patient is the American icon.
Think positive always and in the worst of times it will carry you.
I think the current trend of seeing Bipolar in every dysfunctional celebrity or criminal has really not helped either with lessening the stigma or with educating the public at all. “Bipolar” has become the new fashionable excuse for teachers who sleep with their minor students; for celebrities who are addicted, out of control, or just plain annoying; and lately, it seems, pretty much any undesirable behavior by anyone.
Recently, I overheard someone at a restaurant saying that she had an affair so she thought she must be Bipolar. This has become ridiculous. Bipolar is a serious mental illness that is not some light catch-all euphemism for ‘asshole’ for people to throw around. Those of us who take our meds, work in therapy, structure our lives around staying healthy, and neither break the law nor ingest every illegal drug we see are really being done a disservice by this current fad.
Not all Bipolar sufferers are alike. We’re not all Britney, Patty Duke, or the latest extreme freakshow on the Discovery channel. We are intelligent people living our lives with no need for giant narcissistic display. “Look at me! I’m Bipolar!” Please. Some education along with the histrionics would be nice. And some respect.
Thanks,
Julien Mills
Yes the public needs to have more informed, accurate information about all types of mood disorders, particularly bipolar disorder. Currently all I ever see is the hype surrounding bipolar I and it’s wild mood swings, particularly the mania and the irrational things people do while manic which often land them in the hospital. There is virtually never any coverage of bipolar II and its lesser level of mania (hypomania). Also, the fact that depression is often much more prevalent and can be more severe and debilitating than mania and hypomania is often never mentioned. Let’s not forget bipolar NOS as well. There is even now a bipolar “spectrum” that covers many levels of the disease from milder with almost no hypomania to bipolar I. People can and do function normally with medication and therapy, but the media likes to dwell on the most sensational aspects of the disease. It’s all in what the public wants, which then distorts their opinion and overall knowledge. It’s a vicious cycle.
BP and the media, now that’s a hot one. I remember and not so long ago, the days when Patty Duke was making some headlines and alienating herself from mainstream Hollywood and therefore America, if that can be done, with her bipolar antics until she was lucky enough to find the proper medicines and therapies and support and turn her life around and show us the way with her great books and articles and life and achievments.
Why do people so quickly forget or ignore those of us that have wised up and regained control of our lives for the most part. All the stigma and ignorance and downwrite missinformation and lies and hatred and falsehoods and even the disinterest that many potentially important and influential people couch themselves in to seemingly protect themselves from and give themselves an excuse not to care or take any positive action concerning this issue.
Why do people seek sensationalism and scapegoatism and side with the predators and the malicious. Do we as a country or a world society as a whole only want to find fault with and expose the worst in our fellow man and those of us that tend to be so vunerable and helpless at times to overcome the effects of our illnesses?
Why not focus on the everyday Joes like me that get up and go to work almost everyday and take our medicine and seek the kinds of support and professional assistance and yes love, affection and compassion and attempt to live within our means and to maintain a family life even when the odds are against us.
Here in Tampa, a media figure committed suicide and after the fact it came out he had mental and emotional problems. Well, the media for a time, since he was so well liked and had hid his illness so well from the public and his fellow media stars, was willing to air a fairly unbiased and honest and worthy series of short special stories about persons with mental illness and do some good.
However, recently I have seen some of the local media resort to their same old and time tested abusive and and hurtful tacitics and methods of operation in reporting the news about mental health issues POSSIBLY MENTALLY ILL PERSONS and persons ACCUSED of crimes that of course HAVE A HISTORY OF MENTAL ILLNESS, and leave out many, many stories from the police and courtroom dockets about “normal” people that have allegedly or actually committed as heineous or worse crimes and engaged in as outlandish or even more so outlandish behaviors.
If 20% to 25% of the population of this country is affected by a major mental illness, then why is it so unusual to see that 20% to 25% of our crimes or even more when you take into account that serverly and persistently mentally ill persons are much more likely to be victims of crime, involves persons with mental illness?
Why? - Stigma? - Hate? - Conspiracy? - Repression? - Fear?
You decide.
dsh
Britney Spears is no roll model and should never have been the poster child for mental health..
Britney Spears
but it did get people talking about it… so I guess that is good????
Chato’s Cartoons for Mental Health
http://mentalhealthhumor.today.com/