Bipolar Stigma Essay Example

available. There is an assortment of prescription mood stabilizers available on the market such as Latuda, Clozapine, Lamotrigine, and Lithium. There are also other various types of alternative treatments such as fish oil, meditation, a regular exercise routine, and therapy.

It is important that a person diagnosed with bipolar disorder works with a licensed psychiatrist to develop the most effective individual treatment plan. Another key to successful treatment is educating oneself on the triggers that cause a manic or depressive episode, and also having a support system that understands the illness.

Bipolar disorder can be very disruptive to a person’s life. The stigma associated with bipolar disorder is one of the most difficult challenges for a person to overcome (Chang-Calderon, 2012). Often times, when a person is diagnosed, they choose to keep it private in fear of being discriminated against or treated unequally comparative to the rest of society. It really comes down to a lack of understanding and ignorance about the disorder.

Stephen Propst (2017) said, “such ignorance can lead to an unwillingness to work with, socialize with, or live next door to someone who has bipolar” (Para. 5). When someone hears that a person is diagnosed with a mental health disorder, such as bipolar disorder, they are presumed to be violent. Bipolar can be unpredictable and there are instances where someone with bipolar disorder turns extremely violent. However, classifying everyone with bipolar disorder as violent is a myth and simply is not true for the majority of people diagnosed.

According to Dr. Jeffrey Swanson, a psychiatry and behavioral sciences professor, persons’ with mental illness commit only a small percentage of violent acts (Barbara, de Marco, 2016). It

has also been found through research that persons’ suffering from a mental illness, “are about 10 times more likely to be victimized by violence than the general population” (Barbara, de Marco, 2016, Para. 23).

Another common myth is that people with bipolar disorder are unable to recover from the illness. Bipolar disorder is a lifelong illness; however, the assumption that a person can never recover and lead a successful life is not true. Generally, depending on the age and other health conditions, the bipolar disorder recovery rate is relatively high at 80% (Barbara, de Marco, 2016).

There have been many people throughout history who have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and have led successful lives, despite the stigma. Being diagnosed with a mental illness does not have to define a person’s life. Mariah Carey, a famous female pop singer songwriter, sets a good example of someone who has achieved success while struggling with bipolar disorder. Carey started her singing career in the late 80’s and has had numerous number one hits on the Billboard top 100.

The Guinness World Records recognized Carey for having sold over 200 million records, including 18 No. 1 songs (Beaver, 2018). Carey was formally diagnosed as having bipolar disorder in 2001 after being hospitalized (Bever, 2018). She did not make her diagnosis public until 2018. Carey said in an interview that bipolar disorder, “does not have to define you and I refuse to allow it to define me or control me' (Bever, 2018, Para. 16).

She spoke out about her illness in hopes that it would help erase the negative stigma surrounding the illness. Carey believes, “we can get to a place where the

stigma is lifted from people going through anything alone” (Beaver, 2018).

Another example of someone achieving success, while battling bipolar disorder, is a renowned combat sports announcer named Mauro Ranallo. Ranallo has called boxing matches, mixed martial arts matches, and even wrestling matches (McCullough, 2018). One of Ranallo’s biggest matches was a Showtime fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao in 2015 (McCullough, 2018). Viewers listing to Ranallo feel his dynamic energy and enthusiasm but are unable to see his overwhelming struggles in private (McCullough, 2018).

Ranallo said in an interview that he feels like he lives in, “a constant vacuum of negativity and fear of being exposed as a fraud, fear of failure” (McCullough, 2018). He feels this way because of the stigma surrounding bipolar disorder. Ranallo took it upon himself to help decimate the stigma associated with bipolar disorder by allowing a friend to closely shadow him for a decade, creating a documentary (McCullough, 2018).

He was afraid that people would see him differently because of his mental illness and that it would derail his career. Instead of letting the stigma of bipolar disorder win, Ranallo has taken a leap of faith to show the world how devastating this stigma really is. Ranallo said, “at the end of the day, that’s my mission statement, curing stigma” (McCullough, 2018, Para. 35)

Mariah Carey and Mauro Ranallo are two examples out of many who have achieved their dreams while battling bipolar disorder. Jean-Claude Van Damme was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1998. Van Damme, most notably known for his action films, has also had success in martial arts, screenwriting, and film directing. John Daly, a professional golfer, struggles

with bipolar disorder. Daly has won a PGA Championships and the British Open, two of golf’s biggest events.

Others include Scott Stapp, the lead singer of Creed, Academy Award-winning actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, Carrie Fisher who played Princess Leia in the Star Wars trilogy, and Demi Lovato, famous actress and singer. These iconic individuals have used their platforms to educate the public by sharing their stories and taking steps to remove the stigma. All have one thing in common besides living with bipolar disorder; they did not let the stigma of bipolar disorder hinder them from achieving their dreams.

In conclusion, the stigma surrounding the illness can be debilitating to bipolar individuals, but a person can overcome it. Not all people with bipolar disorder are “crazy” as many would perceive them to be. There are a variety of treatment options available to help prevent or lessen the effects of the manic and depressive episodes of bipolar disorder. One of the most effective treatment options is a support system. People diagnosed as having bipolar disorder can lead a successful life.

References

1. Anderson, I. M., Haddad, P. M., & Scott, J. (2012). Bipolar disorder. BMJ: British Medical Journal (Online), 345 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.e8508
2. Barbara, F. O., & de Marco, H. (2016, Aug 09). Busting myths about mental illness.TCA News Service Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/1809926521?accountid=107221
3. Bever, L. (2018). Mariah Carey reveals years-long battle with bipolar disorder: ‘I lived in denial and isolation’. Washington: WP Company LLC d/b/a The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/2024329238?accountid=107221
4. Chang-Calderon, M. (2012). Successful management professionals with bipolar disorder (Order No. 3499365). Available from ProQuest Central. (936380220). Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/936380220?accountid=107221
5. Grande, I., Berk, M., Birmaher, B., & Vieta, E. (2016). Bipolar disorder.
   

The Lancet, 387(10027), 1561-1572. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(15)00241-X