When public figures choose to discuss bipolar disorder, their accounts can make it easier to talk about mental health. They are personal experiences, not evidence that a particular treatment will work for everyone or that creative achievement depends on illness.
This article uses dated disclosures instead of retrospective diagnoses of historical figures or speculation about a celebrity’s behavior.
Two public accounts
Mariah Carey
In an April 2018 interview with PEOPLE, Mariah Carey discussed a bipolar II diagnosis and seeking treatment. Her account concerned her own experience at that time; it is not an update on her present health.
Selena Gomez
In an April 2022 Good Morning America interview, Selena Gomez discussed her bipolar diagnosis and the value she found in understanding it. A public disclosure does not make the rest of a person’s medical history public.
What bipolar disorder means
The National Institute of Mental Health describes bipolar disorder as involving episodes of changes in mood, energy and activity. Mania and hypomania differ in severity; depressive episodes can also occur. These episodes are different from ordinary changes in mood or a personality that others find unpredictable.
Assessment looks at the pattern over time, including sleep, functioning, earlier episodes, medicines and substance use. Bipolar I and bipolar II have different diagnostic criteria. A short video, a song lyric or a period of intense work cannot establish either diagnosis.
Treatment and everyday life
NICE’s bipolar disorder guideline describes care that can include medication, psychological interventions, physical health monitoring and planning for future episodes. The plan should be agreed with the person and reviewed as circumstances change.
Useful discussions include early warning signs, sleep changes, side effects, work or family needs, and who to contact if symptoms worsen. Medicines should not be stopped or changed because a celebrity describes a different experience.
Achievement does not prove that someone needs less support. Difficulties do not mean that they have failed. A private residence, a famous client list or leisure facilities cannot establish a program’s effectiveness; ask about the actual clinicians, treatment and continuity of care.
When to seek help
Arrange a professional assessment if changes in mood, energy or sleep are affecting your life. Markedly reduced need for sleep with escalating activity, unsafe behavior, or loss of contact with reality warrants urgent clinical attention. If someone may act on suicidal thoughts or cannot remain safe, contact local emergency services.
Public accounts can open a conversation. An individual assessment should guide what happens next.
