Shocking news: Catherine Zeta Jones is bipolar. Did anyone else know that? I didn’t. Zeta’s rep just confirmed to People Magazine that CZJ has checked herself into a “mental health facility” to treat her “bipolar II disorder”. Apparently, the stress of the past year – with Michael Douglas’s cancer fight and all – triggered something in Catherine:
Catherine Zeta-Jones, who has been by husband Michael Douglas’s side during his cancer fight, has sought mental health treatment for herself, her rep says.
“After dealing with the stress of the past year, Catherine made the decision to check in to a mental health facility for a brief stay to treat her bipolar II disorder,” the rep says in a statement. “She’s feeling great and looking forward to starting work this week on her two upcoming films.”
Zeta-Jones, 41, spent about five days in the unidentified facility, a friend tells PEOPLE.
“There’s no question it’s been a stressful year,” the friend says. “Catherine has had deal with Michael’s illness and that’s been hard. She went in for a few days because she’s about to start working, and wanted to make sure she’s in top form, which she is.”
Douglas, 66, announced in January he was declared free of cancer after what he called a “wild six-month ride” of chemotherapy and radiation for a tumor on his tongue.
[From People]
From a PR standpoint, this is very well executed. The news is stunning because I’m not aware of even a whiff of this kind of thing around Catherine, and it’s not like she’s had any kind of public meltdown or scandals lately or ever. It seems like a situation where Catherine wasn’t doing very well in private, and she and her family simply took time out to acknowledge the problem and help her get treatment. In other words, everyone is behaving in everybody’s best interests and Catherine is going to get the best help money can buy, and all will be well. Good for them!
Photos courtesy of WENN.
god bless
Being they specified it is bipolar II, I’m not surprised we have never seen a public meltdown.
I’m glad that she’s getting the help she needs (I have mental issues myself, although not bipolar and stress can cause a flare-up at any time).
That being said…hasn’t she been 41 for like 5 years now? Same with Matthew McConaughey. It must be nice to decide “I’m through with aging, I think I’ll stick at this number for awhile”!
Yet another example of a celebrity taking the wind out of a story by just acknowledging it truthfully, succinctly and completely- this could have been some big tabloid scandal but instead it will be out of the news in the next 48-72 hours. What is there to say about it? She has a mental health problem, she’s taking steps to manage it responsibly, the reasons why she might be having a hard time are understandable and stated, and her family and professional life aren’t overly impacted.
She was chain smoking and drinking to deal with stress and that makes her bipolar? They have a name for everything these days.
Best wishes to this vey classy woman. I never would have thought she had such difficulty. And it just goes to show, we can all speculate until we are blue in the face about the mental health of others (Britney, anyone?) but we never truly know what is going on behind closed doors.
I hope that she gets better soon =)
I had no idea she had this illness. It seems very strange that they made this public. Perhaps she was seen going into a mental health center and her PR people wanted to put the story out before it was leaked by a trash tab. Maybe she’s going to do some PSA’s and thought it would be good to let us know she has the illness. Anyway, I wish her well and much privacy.
I blame Antonio Banderas for all of this.
This is such a lame cover up for drugs or alcohol rehab. It pisses me off when people lie about disorders. I would have more respect for her if she said i was smoking & drinking to much and popping pills due to stress of Michaels cancer etc. I would feel for her if she was honest but the fact she is lying to save face is slap to those who truly have bipolar disorders without drug or alcohol issues. Perhaps she is bipolar AND alcoholic and this is bad combo but she isnt simply JUST bipolar and checked herself into mental health facility.
Why are they publicly announcing this? Some tabloid must have picked up on it and was about to report it so they had to first.
It will end up being fine. You can set off an imbalance by “over-coping” with family problems. Best wishes to a classy dame!
Not to sound like a bitch, but would anyone in the general public have noticed if she were in treatment for a little while? I feel like she’s been pretty quiet career-wise for the past few years..
Isn’t one of the symptoms of Bi-Polar II shamelessly lying about your real age??
Good for her putting it out there. Nothing wrong with needing help now and then. Good luck.
IF this an on-going concern (not an excuse/cover-up for some other problem, because I do think this declaration rings of a preemptive strike), I doubt she is the only one with a diagnosable and manageable mental health issue in HW, but this is how you handle it.
She may be made to answer *some* questions surrounding this if she has any press junkets in the future, but I’m sure if things are allowed to be kept on this level of professionalism, she will be just fine.
oops
I hope the best for her and the family. Personally I think it’s the truth and that she’s quite classy for being able to not have it all over the press. So many do these days..
What is the difference between bipolar II vs. bipolar (I, I am guessing)?
Wow that’s a shocker. All the best to her.
Poor thing, let’s hope she gets better!
@ 13 Truth: Why yes, yes it is. I just looked at my Physicians Desk Reference and age denial is right there! Are you a Doctor of some sort? LOLOLOL! * This is such a great Gossip Day! I almost feel bi-polar with glee! Is anyone else having problems with the Bitchy loading slow?
My gossip sources back in 2000 said she was born in 1958; lying about her age is not caused by bipolar disorder (maybe anxiety disorder – I have that so I can joke about it). Lying about her age is a very sane decision as it took her a very long time to “make it” and the shelf life of an actress is very short and the chances of a 41 year old actress (back in Zorro) getting a shot to stick around is nil. She passes for her “age” more or less. She looks less nipped than more; but I do wonder if her choice in creepy, elderly husbands was caused by the disorder. Even if she is 52, he is still too old and creepy for her but I get her wanting someone to take care of her if she has an illness (hence her sticking around vs. taking the money and running).
Before anyone starts talking about love, I don’t think he has EVER been capable of it. He wasn’t always old but he was always creepy.
i hope she gets the help she needs. they’re a strong couple…i am sure he will rise to the occasion, just as she did with him. 😉
41yr old!!??? LOL!!!!!! Puh-lease! So is Bipolar II Welsh for “DRUG ADDICTION”?? LOL!!!
Awww, I’m so sorry for her. It has been a tough and stressful year for this family. I wish her the best.
@kim
you her doctor?
ya i don’t understand this leak to the press
Catherine is SO BRAVE!
Good grief! What a shocking headline! Geez.
Well, I wish her all the best of course. But damn, how shocking, and as others have said, not a whiff of this before now.
does she EVER have a birthday? She’s been 41 for what, 5 years now?
Weird. So out of the blue.
re her birthday – every time she’s in the news people say that. It’s always a new number, but the comments always are “this number again?!” I find it amusing.
The “England and Wales Birth Index” is open to the public. So if you want to know when her birth was registered just go to http://www.freebmd.org.uk and search for Catherine Zeta Jones. You’ll find that the answer is December 1969 in Swansea, Wales. (c) VoR in one of the older treads.
Bravo for Catherine to take action for her health. She didn’t need to tell the press but she did.
Good Luck and Blessings to her and her family.
I’m sorry but if it was a bipolar thing, would only 5 days in a facility help??
Wow, you guys are rude, ignorant and cruel. I am bipolar II, have been for 12 years, I have never had a meltdown, abused alcohol or drugs or shown any outward signs to the public.
Let me make this very clear, mental illness is no different than having cancer, diabetes or heart disease. All are treatable illnesses that you control by taking medication and having regular check ups with your doctor. In fact, most insurance plans don’t get to differentiate between a “regular illness” and a “mental illness” because it is considered discrimination. All are treated equally.
Educate yourselves before you speak about things you do not know or understand you classless bunch of bitches.
I don’t know if it’s true or not but they have had a bad year so I wish her the best.
Good Luck to her. Really like her. Now if she would have taken and left the real nutcase Halle Berry along with her that would have truly made my day.
@The truth fairy
Love it, love it, love it.
I echo the positive statements of the previous posters and applaud her bravery in going public–preemptive strike or not. Hopefully this will be one more mile on the road towards eliminating the stigma of this disease.
When stars get treatment for ’emotional exhaustion’ I think that often is a euphemism for another deeper problem. However, it is not unusual in the least for someone with bipolar disorder to seek intensive in-house treatment. On two separate occasions I’ve checked myself into a day treatment program for just that reason.
@Kim: I’m sorry but if it was a bipolar thing, would only 5 days in a facility help??
Yeah, I have some doubts too, but may be she’s been there for awhile before it got out and now they can present it as if she’s just got in and will be out in 5 days, so no big deal.
Another link to prove her birthyear. Posted by Mairead. From Ancestry site. http://i27.tinypic.com/fnwigm.jpg
Kim, I thought the same thing.
Does bipolar II mean you alternate between abusing alcohol and Vicodin? Not judging. The stress of a spouse with cancer must be nearly unbearable.
Good for her. She is such a talented actress and I wish her the best.
I hope that she continues to work to get healthy. I also hope that going forward, she will remember to advance her age in the Press at least once in every couple of years.
I have no doubt in my mind that stress could manufacture symptoms that resemble Bipolar II — but why wouldn’t her rep just say she was hospitalized for stress. No one would bat an eye, considering what she is shouldering.
OTOH, if CZJ is legitimately Bipolar, it is odd that it would manifest at age 41. It must be something she has battled her entire life.
@Kim-for initial treatment or during/after a manic episode perhaps 5 days may not be sufficient. However, as a sort of emotional tune-up, 5 days of intensive therapy away from the stress of everyday life would not be unusual. (for we working stiffs that’s often all mental health insurance covers!!)
I’m also bipolar II and I give her much credit for admitting publicly that she is seeking help for a mental disorder. Alcaholism, smoking, and other “bad” decisions go hand in hand with bipolar disorder. Shame on the people that think she’s trying to hide an addiction by lying about a very real problem.
@ Kim – Bipolar II is the bipolar without psychosis so yeah, just 5 days would probably do it for now.
It’s nice that all you folks are on such intimate terms with Catherine Z-J that you can confirm she’s a drunk and a drug addict. For your information, bipolar II is characterized more by bouts of depression, not Britney Spears-like meltdowns, and a classic first step in treatment is to get some “in-house” family focused therapy followed by treatment with mild anti-depressants if necessary.
The difference between bipolar I and II is the strength of the mania. In I, the manic episodes are full blown out of control behavior–shave your head kind of thing. For II, the episodes are hypomanic–crazy but not completely out of control.
HOWEVER—the depressive part of the illness is exactly the same horrible bitch of an experience for both types. Neither type is a laughing matter.
BTW, don’t drink/do drugs either
@Jaded–I’ve got bipolar II and my meds are not “mild anti-depressants.” I take the same meds as people with bipolar I disorder. More precisely, on a daily basis I take an anti-depressant, a mood leveler and an anti-psychotic. So long as I take my meds and go to talk therapy on a regular basis my disease is manageable.
Lunch is over–back to the grind!!!
i don’t know what her TRUE issues are, but for someone to come out publically with this means the actual truth is far worse. I don’t know if it’s drugs/alc BUT it said she was already in an undisclosed facility for 5 days – my guess is a hospital for a SUICIDE attempt, and because of the attempt she now has to enter mental treament.
i had NO idea.
question: if she has been bipolar how come we always see her drinking wine? would that not affect her medications? i9 assume shes been controlling her disease very well since we’ve never seen any behavior indicative of bipolar disorder.
i really appreciate them going about it this way. it’s better than watching her obscurely burn out later in front of the paparazzi.
it also helps bring attention to bipolar disorder in a practical way without stigma. she just earned a huge amount of respect from me.
EDIT – hannah, i appreciate a you’ve said here too!
suicide attempt OR drug overdose. 5 days is a long time, and then for it to be followed by a publically acknowledged mental facility check in?
Meow, #10, Kim, or is your real name Diandra??
What has CZJ ever done to ignite such a vitriolic response?? I think your post was really mean-spirited and borders on the ‘excessive negativity’ CB tries to avoid.
I know someone who went to a mental hospital for about 5 days for their bi-polar disorder. She said she was stressed out and her meds were no longer working. She said she was put on new meds and attended talk therapy. Sometimes it helps to get out of your regular daily life for a while until your meds are adjusted.
I hope CZJ gets better quickly.
Last year the Daily Mail published several articles about CZJ coming and going from her New York City apartment multiple times a day wearing completely different (and sometimes seasonally or age inappropriate) outfits. At the time I thought it was odd & way out of character for her. Now I’m wondering if this could be related to CZJ’s current struggles. Either way she has my sympathies and best wishes.
I wish her and all persons with illness, wellness.
However, and I am not saying that Catherine is or isn’t having some troubles mentally, but I have a family member who was diagnosed with Bipolar after a complete hysterectomy, in her early 30’s.
They, the Dr.s, put her on very heavy meds AND convinced her to have EST (electric shock therapy) and now she is like a zombie on most days. She is very large and cannot get the weight off, she behaves more like a brain injured person who didn’t finish rehab (again I do not mean anything against brain injured people) often she is so drugged she cannot speak clearly, it’s very very very sad. At one point it was suggested to me that I too have the disorder, however I am extremely creative, I make my living being creative, if for some reason I cannot be creative, I break down, I know it sounds weird, but “artists” are very sensitive people, maybe all artists have the potential for mental illness. However I do not and will not ever take any anti-depressant or other drugs that are prescribed for mental illness because I don’t NEED it, some people maybe NEED the drugs. As well I am type2 diabetic and have been since I was 15 yrs old, I don’t take meds for that either, I manage it through good diet and exercise, and if I don’t exercise I get depressed.
Catherine go buy yourself a bike! 🙂
@Hannah – sorry, I spoke completely out of turn. My only experience was with a friend who had very mild bipolar II which is not representative of everyone. My bad!
@Truth….^5
Being the spouse of a person going through a serious medical crisis is extremely stressful. My husband had cancer twice and it’s really rough for the “healthy” spouse. You have to be strong for your loved ones since everyone is worrying. You have to hold everything together so the other can focus on getting better. I can completely understand if CZJ had a “crisis” of her own to deal with. Been there.
Thanks @Jaded and @Hannah. I have GAD which sometimes does lead to depression, but not always. That aspect goes up and down (no pun intended). I have never had a “manic” episode as in Britney or Charlie Sheen but I have never been “stable” in my entire life, and I have been oddly perky lately.
I’m exercising – anyone who knows me knows how WEIRD that is, I am normally very low energy and just plain lazy and I have the extra weight to show for it.
For the last few weeks, I have been seriously if maybe the extra Paxil *finally* kicked in after 6 months or if there was a lesser version of bipolar disorder. My friends say if I’m worried about it probably not.
I am very empathetic toward Catherine. I doubt anyone would say she was mentally ill if they can claim addiction. Sadly, addiction is a lot more mainstream and accepted.
I have nothing against her but no matter how old she is or what problems she has, I still can’t like her creepy husband. I will end any post about her with that.
PS: I secretly hope she’s 52, it gives me hope.
@moon: A bike isn’t going to solve Catherine’s issues if she’s truly bipolar. And if you don’t require meds to remain stable, then you don’t have the disorder, so clearly whoever “suggested” that possibility is wrong. This disease isn’t some kind of mild or situational depression, it’s a full blown mental disorder that requires more than a healthy diet and exercise to treat.
Anybody else think she could be Victoria Beckham’s sister in that last pic?
I have to ask some of the posters here – why would they “cover up” drug/alcohol addiction by saying it was bipolar II? What would be the point? Is that “more acceptable” or something? Kinda stupid if you ask me.
Good for her for getting the help she needs. I also don’t think it’s our “right to know” – so I don’t feel the need for the press release. But if it was an attempt to block a “scoop” from a tabloid, more power to them for putting it out there first.
Did anyone see the video a couple of weeks ago(my mental timeline is not great, so it could have been longer) of her FLIPPING OUT accusing a cameraman of punching her in the face? She definitely seemed like something was going on and based purely on that video am in no way surprised that she needs a “time-out”. I really feel like I need a time out from life too. Maybe I need to try this
@ #60 Majosha
I didn’t say it would “fix” her and what do you think you know about the education of my Dr. ? Exercise DOES help persons with mental disorders although often people with the aforementioned disorders are unable to motivate themselves toward regular exercise, sometimes they can’t even make it outside for a walk, though on “good” days they are more successful. Not all persons with illness opt for the meds, nor do they opt to dig further to come up with a diagnoses. Nor did I suggest that diet would cure her, however after reading a great deal about this disorder in an honest attempt to understand it fuller, because my sister has it. I have books, in the very room that I am writing in, that state this information very clearly. As well years ago I had a male room-mate who also has bi-polar disorder, he bought me a dress form for my business, I bought him a bike, he told me it was the best thing anybody EVER did for him, because often he felt like a “failure” to himself and his family, when he rode his bike it gave him a sense of accomplishment as well he gained some muscle on his frail frame. Maybe you ought to get a bike yourself and you might discover the joy even a bipolar adult can feel. Are you a Dr.?
I had a bunch of diagnoses thrown at me when I was younger, one of which was also bipolar II, and even after a suicide attempt I was only in the hospital 2 days. It really goes case by case.
As for her drinking, yes – alcohol can lessen the effect of anti-depressants and is advised against in combination with most neuroleptic drugs, however many people continue to drink while on them and many other people manage their symptoms without medication when they can. Personally, I drank while on a whack ton of different meds and yes, it was stupid, but it never killed me and to suggest that self-medicating with alcohol (which, yes, is not good) is anywhere near the realm of over-privileged socialite cocaine abuse is ridiculous.
I think it’s incredibly noble to acknowledge any mental health problems in public. These discussions shouldn’t be kept only in private. The stigma around mental illness is absurd and harmful.
tell you the truth, I’m not surprised and I don’t even know why
@majosha
that is misinformation. MANY people manage their mental illnesses without medication and use meds to help only at their lowest points. All mental illnesses exist on a continuum and just because you are not the most extreme doesn’t mean you don’t have the illness.
Though in regards to @moon’s original comment, riding a bike isn’t going to solve the problem for everyone…
I study psychology and neuroscience and one major take home lesson for me was that we still know surprisingly little about most mental illnesses and I do think it’s important for people to be skeptical and consider their options. But we do know a lot more than we did fourty or even twenty years ago. It’s important to realize that the medical resources that we do have are very effective and necessary for many people.
I’m going to shut up now, but I just really think these kinds of discussions are hugely important. 🙂
Ok, people, really? You think she’s lying about being bipolar? Sadly, there is still a HUGE stigma against people with mental illnesses. Why would she come out & say she was bipolar if she really wasn’t? Flat out blaming her & saying it’s her fault for popping pills? Shame on you.
@hstl1 – well said. Mental illness is exactly the same as having diabetes or asthma. It’s just a different body system that’s having a malfunction.
@ #65 Lee
Thanx for the back up, again, I didn’t suggest that the bike was a cure, only a helpful “tool”, it’s just different medicine. the “med’s” prescribed aren’t a cure either. I am marveled at the fee-back regarding my comment, people are so quick to accept the drugs, but get so worked up about a suggestion to ride a bicycle, it may not be a cure, but it does help your bum stay firm 🙂
I can’t believe the people on here judging a woman who has had the courage to come out about her mental disorder. As @polkasox said there is still a huge stigma around mental health issues. I have been diagnosed with depression and have been battling it with medication and therapy for the past 7 years.
People can call in sick to work with a cold but it is not acceptable to call in ‘sad.’
If you have not had to deal with the effects of profound mental illness I don’t think you should judge – much less accuse her of being a drug addict or drunk.
Oh – and I have been on and off medication and I really do need to be on it to be stable. And one of my main signs that I am going downhill fast is I start drinking way more than I should. It numbs whatever I am trying to not feel. Sadly it just makes things worse in the long run…
@hstl1 “Educate yourselves before you speak about things you do not know or understand”
Totally agree!
@Hannah: “For II, the episodes are hypomanic–crazy but not completely out of control.”
Who knew?
Oh dear heart, I so hope you did not pay to get that information . . . if so get your money back!
Yes, stress can aggravate the depression that is part of being bipolar, especially the unrelenting stress brought on by family health issues.
I am bipolar stage II and was diagnosed well after the big 40 and have never had any hissy fit that could be labeled as ‘hypomaniac-crazy’!
Although, I once did take scissors and cut my hair short after canceling two consecutive hair appointments due to a virus infection.
As a matter of fact, I am often described as being easy going, understanding and laid back. In other words, if I did not tell you I was bipolar you would not know.
Why the big freak out about her age?
It would appear the age issue causes ‘hypomaniac-craziness’ in some non bipolar posters.
Whether she is 41 or 51 she looks great!
#33 can;t read the name–Right on sister. My grandmother suffered from bipolar disorder, before it was really diagnosed. Her life would have been so much better if she had been able to get the help she needed. Good for Catherine dealing with the issue.
LOVE love the photo you posted of her!
As someone who battles with this, I hope she finds a good doctor to deal with this because it makes it much more worse if you don’t have the proper help.
I’ve got B-P: it’s often horrible, dangerous and when apparent, it can be very apparent. When it’s not apparent, it’s not. You can be functional, it just takes a metric f—tonne of work and prep time, sometimes. Everyone seems to have his own bag of hammers to have to drag through life, this happens to be one of mine. It’s different for everyone, and I think that with the sudden rash of ‘all celebrities are bi-polar’ instances, it probably looks like an easy out to explain away past bad behaviour that can’t be questioned by people because it makes that person looks cruel. I can’t comment on any case but my own, so I won’t. The only thing I’ll say is that it’s kind of weird to me that we would look more askance upon a person with a mental health issue than upon a person with a drug or alcohol addiction, although I know those things are not completely separate. That may sound imperious, and maybe it actually is, knowing what I know–that we all go to great lengths to feel better if we feel bad, and if we can’t, something very bad could be in the forecast, and some kind of impulse is driving us, wherever it drives us–but I won’t pretend that the difference I’ve perceived or maybe dreamed up, I honestly don’t know, isn’t something that hasn’t crossed my mind. Well, maybe that’s just my flaw.
@Phillylady #6: Yes I agree. We do not ever know what really goes on behind closed doors, especially in Hollywood. Which is why I don’t really buy any of the speculation about Britney Spears ‘mental problems’. For all we know she was a hard core drug addict or something, and they used the ‘mental problems’ excuse to stop the rumours and to get sympathy for her, as the rumours of drug/alcohol addiction weren’t helping her image. It worked. I don’t put it past Hollywood handlers to use whatever means necessary to help out their cash cows. I don’t think we will ever know the real truth, not that it is any of our business to know either.
Yeah I guess I am a cynic 😆 .
As for CZJ, totally didn’t see this coming and whatever is really wrong with her, be it BPD or something else, I hope she gets the help she needs and that she recovers well.
All the best to her and her family.
(1) CZJ does seem to look like she’s in a wild-eyed manic phase in the first pic
(2) Wasn’t there a blind item about a glamorous actress married to Hollywood royalty who got VERY upset when a White House vetting revealed she was ten years older
(3) Old cancer ridden husband, special needs daughter, stepson in the pokey, career on the descension. . .IMO the poor dear deserved a break
(4) In the 3rd pic, is that Michael or Kirk?
Also wanted to pipe up in support of CZJ–whether she’s trying to head off a tabloid or not, it’s a very brave thing for any public figure to admit to mental illness and treatment. It also sets a great example for others, both those with mental illnesses, because we’re not alone in dealing with our diseases and having to take care of ourselves, and for those without, just by showing the world that taking care of herself health-wise, is no different than Halle Berry taking care of her diabetes. Diabetics sometimes have to get hospitalized for stabilization, too (not that Halle has).
Shame on those who are accusing her of “claiming” to be bipolar to cover up an addiction. Both bipolar disorder and addiction are serious mental illnesses, and neither is easy to live with or to maintain while in a period of stability. And addiction goes in there because it does change the brain (which is one reason why nearly all addicts can/should never drink/do drugs, etc. again). CZJ is sick. She is getting treatment to improve her health. No one would have dared say Michael Douglas was hiding ANYTHING when he was going in to be treated for cancer; why say that about her?
Yes, I am ranting. As someone diagnosed with depression ten years ago and hospitalized (for ten days) two years ago, and who does need meds to be stable, I admire and appreciate everyone who chips away at the stigma surrounding mental illnesses, and try to call out those who build up the stigma.
Mental illness is a bitch — best of luck to CZJ in her fight against it.
I’ve been noticing that “Bipolar” or “Bipolar II” has been the catch-all diagnosis for the majority of affect disorders – in both Hollywood and “Real Life”. Not that I would begrudge anybody their mental health, but I’ve been noticing the “trend” since graduating in 2006. (Like the ADHD trend a few years ago.) It’s really neither here nor there, I suppose, just an observation.
Regardless, it takes a strong person to recognize they feel out of balance and need help. I wish Catherine nothing but the best.
Wow, so sorry to hear this. I hope she gets well.
I don’t believe anyone would make up being mentally ill as an excuse to cover up drug additction? Really? With all the stigmas
attached to mental illnesses? I don’t think so.
It’s also commendable that she didn’t make up some sort of BS excuse, like “exhaustion” or “fatigue,” and chose to acknowledge the problem. This goes a long way for lessening the stigmas attached to mental illnesses. My brother is bipolar; it’s a very difficult thing to deal with. It’s no picnic.
My son is 17 and has multiple special needs…including mental retardation, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and a bi-polar disorder. There is no facility here in Connecticut where he can just “go and get some bi-polar rehab”. There isn’t even a mental facility that will take him so that I can get a break. It must be nice for people like Catherine to somewhere and get a “break” from the h-ll that is her everyday life.
Before Micheal’s diagnosis there were several reports of CZJ’s strange behavior while onstage for a Little Night Music…slurring onstage, pap shots of her and MD looking totally blitzed the tropics. The 5 day hospitalization sounds like a change of her bipolar meds rehab is a 28 day minimum. Also let’s not forget it’s very common for manic deppressives to self medicate with drugs and alcohol in order to mask there symptoms.
@MissyAggravation-yes, Bipolar Disorder has really become a popular diagnosis in the last few years. I’m in the medical field and I remember reading or hearing somewhere (sorry-I forget the source) that the very large increase in Bipolar diagnoses was due in part to requests for service and insurance reimbursement(someone with BPD is considered to be more in need of services than someone with depression or anxiety). No offense to CZJ (I think it’s good she was honest) or anyone else with BPD but I do think it’s overly diagnosed. My biggest problem with BPD is when they diagnose kids/teenagers with it-that’s a very significant label to put on someone who may just be going through a tumultuous adolescence. I’m not saying that there aren’t kids/teens who actually go on to develop BPD, but I think MH professionals need to use alot of caution and restraint when diagnosing it in childhood.
I hope she feels better soon. I have always thought she handled herself the best way she can in the life that she and her husband live, and I don’t know why anyone cares how old she is/isn’t. It is a personal issue for a lot of women, and maybe she just wants an air of mystery around it.
My grandmother still won’t discuss her age, which is funny to me because my generation just doesn’t have this problem, or that I’ve noticed at least. She is 84.
She has always been a wonderful, classy lady. I hope she feels better soon.
@Just Me–I have an excellent psychiatrist who keeps me well informed. In addition, before I took any psychotropic meds I did plenty of my own research.
You might want to check out below the criteria for Hypomanic Episodes from the DSM-IV–the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual created by and for mental health professionals to facilitate diagnosis.
A. A distinct period of persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood, lasting throughout at least 4 days, that is clearly different from the usual nondepressed mood.
B. During the period of mood disturbance, three (or more) of the following symptoms have persisted (four if the mood is only irritable) and have been present to a significant degree:
1.
inflated self-esteem or grandiosity
2.
decreased need for sleep (e.g., feels rested after only 3 hours of sleep)
3.
more talkative than usual or pressure to keep talking
4.
flight of ideas or subjective experience that thoughts are racing
5.
distractibility (i.e., attention too easily drawn to unimportant or irrelevant external stimuli)
6.
increase in goal-directed activity (either socially, at work or school, or sexually) or psychomotor agitation
7.
excessive involvement in pleasurable activities that have a high potential for painful consequences (e.g., engaging in unrestrained buying sprees, sexual indiscretions, or foolish business investments)
C. The episode is associated with an unequivocal change in functioning that is uncharacteristic of the person when not symptomatic.
D. The disturbance in mood and the change in functioning are observable by others.
E. The episode is not severe enough to cause marked impairment in social or occupational functioning, or to necessitate hospitalization, and there are no psychotic features.
F. The symptoms are not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication, or other treatment) or a general medical condition (e.g., hyperthyroidism).
These have been the most interesting comments I have ever seen on this site. Honest and mature and I think proving sister-hood is not dead about other than gossip. AND, even if you don’t believe it and can still stay light-hearted about it and w/out bully attacks.
Beck’s comment was the best in my opinion, food for thought.
I think CZJ had her rep confirm this because TMZ was already onto the story. This was TMZ’s post today:
“Catherine Zeta-Jones has reportedly entered a mental health treatment center for a bipolar disorder … despite her rep squarely denying the story to TMZ. One of Catherine’s reps now tells People.com, “After dealing with the stress of the past year, Catherine made the decision to check in to a mental health facility for a brief stay to treat her Bipolar Disorder.”
The way TMZ worded this it sounds to me like they got wind of CZJ’s hospitalization and phoned her people. They denied it, realised the story was going to get out, and phoned People as a pre-emptive strike.
I was very surprised by this, as she’s never discussed it before, but best wishes to her and her family.
As for why it was announced, I’m betting that some tabloid or whatever caught wind of this and was going to publish, maybe contacted her team, and this statement was put out to shoot down any crazy tabloid stories, preemptive strike.
I wish her the best, but keeping a mental illness so tightly under wraps like it was a Pentagon secret only serves to enhance that sense of “shame” that society still attaches to mental illness. I, too, suffer from a mental illness and while I don’t sky write it, I openly talk about it. People openly go to the Betty Ford Center and all kinds of re-hab for drugs and alcohol and somehow they garner more sympathy and encouragement than do we “nut-jobs.” All of us who suffer from a mental illness need to come out of the closet and take the stigma off having a disease that is recognized by the AMA, just like alcoholism now is recognized.
Catherine could’ve had anyone, so I always thought she was crazy for marrying a man who was 25 years older than her.
Poor woman. Her wheels have fell off.
For Kim:
Drug and alcool abuse is a symptom of the disorder. Some people choose to self medicate. It doesn’t mean that every person who has a substance abuse problem is bipolar; but trust me she would not use a Bipolar II diagnosis as a cover up for drinking too much.
I appreciate that she specified the reason for seeking treatment (bipolar II) so directly, rather than trying to hide it with some bs excuse like ‘exhaustion’ or ‘stress’. By naming the disorder so plainly and without shame, I hope that it helps clear some of the unfortunate stigma that surrounds mental illness and mental health treatment.
As a bonus, it’s kind of a ‘f-ck you’ to the Scientologists who don’t believe in psychiatry.
‘As a bonus, it’s kind of a ‘f-ck you’ to the Scientologists who don’t believe in psychiatry.’
Here, here.
After Jones was caught smoking while pregnant, I can say she deserves her illness.
@Christian: Is that something Jesus would say?
People:
1) it may be a cover for drug or alcohol addiction, but she may ALSO be bipolar. DUH.
2) People with mental illness often turn to drugs to take away the pain of depression. Sort of like having a drink after a long day of work, times 1000.
3) as a person with major depressive disorder, I can say that a lot of us are pros in hiding our symptoms from the outside world. I’ve been doing so for 17 years.
4) after reading so many nasty, uninformed and bitchy comments, I see now why I and Catherine and others do try to hide their illness. We’d be thrown to this pack of wolves otherwise! I thought acceptance an awareness of mental illness was growing. I am sad to see that it is not.
Please, no snarky comments.
Catherine has been through hell with Michael’s cancer, and sometimes that can trigger an escalation in symptoms in a person that makes the diagnosis of BPD clear (vs depression and anxiety).
Also, remember there is Bipolar Type I and Type II. Vivien Leigh had BPD-I: there you can see the extremes of mania with psychosis followed with major depression. Type II is major depression with the much less severe hypomania.
One savvy C/B reader pointed out that BPD is a spectral disorder-it’s a matter of degrees of mood on any given day.
I was diagnosed with Type-II three years ago, and even with meds every day is a surprise-pick a mood! There are also “rapid cyclers”; I think I may be one-both Type-I and Type-II’s can hit bottom one day and be flyin’ high the next. I am still in recovery, and it’s long, hard road.
Fortunately, CZJ has the love and support many people with mental illness do not have. Now it’s Michael’s turn to be the strong one for her; too bad they couldn’t have a little break from major crisis mode.
The very best to Catherine, Michael and their children.
We need more celebs with a reputation like KZJ to come forward before their illness causes them to be hospitalized, and maybe the stigma of mental illness might begin to lift.