Question by Amy: Do celebrities who claim to have bipolar trivialize the condition?
I refer specifically to CZJ and Demi Lovato, who have recently been lauded by the media as “brave” and “courageous” for “raising awareness.” Yet, the few details I have read about their experiences read more like reactionary depression or substance abuse issues than bipolar. I know that I cannot possibly be aware of what their specific symptoms were, but I am concerned that their vague descriptions of “highs and lows” really trivialize the condition. Maybe one too many bouts of psychotic depression has made me cynical, but I continue to feel a bit angered when people attempt to comfort me about my now ‘fashionable’ bipolar disorder. I realize that I should be glad about the reduction of stigma that these public figures may encourage, but the articles I have read seem so quick to emphasize that they have mild bipolar, as it is apparently still uncool to have the “psychotic kind”… Does anyone else feel that these stars may have actually done more harm than good by encouraging people passing through difficult times to seek a bipolar diagnosis? Is anyone else concerned that bipolar disorder has been trivialized?

Best answer:

Answer by Iza
mannnnn….i heart this question.

YES it has been trivialized. People still don’t truly understand the illness and they’re using the term to explain any erratic behavior. It frustrates me because it gives people the wrong idea about the symptoms and diagnosis of the illness has been overly used.

Answer by Micki 48
I feel exactly the same way. It’s never fails to irritate me when people use the word “bipolar” for every little mood swing, and every up and down. Actually, I don’t see where someone like Demi Lovato has done anything to reduce the stigma of bipolar disorder, but instead it has, as you said, seemed to make it “fashionable” to a lot of people, especially kids. I just don’t see where it has raised any awareness of what bipolar really is, and of the chaos it can cause in a person’s life.

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