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Did you know 1 in 150 people in India suffer from Bipolar Disorder? Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that many people suffer from. There are several famous persons with Bipolar Disorder around the world. If you are wondering what is Bipolar Disorder? You should know when a person goes through periods of extreme highs (or mania), and periods of extreme lows (depression). It affects your sleep, thinking, energy, and behaviour patterns.
Popular celebs like Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato have opened up about this condition as a way to de-stigmatise it and encourage those who suffer from it to seek treatment. This blog covers the top 10 famous persons with Bipolar Disorder.
Table of Contents [show]
| Name of Famous Person with Bipolar Disorder | Main Achievement | Mental Health Awareness Contribution |
| Selena Gomez | Over 210 million records sold worldwide | Founded a fund to improve mental health access for young people |
| Mariah Carey | 5 Grammy Awards | Shared her journey to inspire others to seek support |
| Demi Lovato | Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter | Spoke openly about her struggles and advocated for mental health awareness |
| Mel Gibson | Academy Award-winning director | Publicly acknowledged struggles and emphasized the importance of therapy |
| Carrie Fisher | Iconic role in Star Wars | Became an outspoken advocate and wrote books on mental health |
| Stephen Fry | BAFTA-winning actor and writer | Created a documentary to spread awareness about bipolar disorder |
| Linda Hamilton | Starred in The Terminator franchise | Became a public speaker on mental health |
| Jean-Claude Van Damme | Won a professional karate championship | Spoke openly about his condition and treatment with medication |
| Catherine Zeta-Jones | Won an Academy Award | Raised awareness about Bipolar II and encouraged people to seek help |
| Kurt Cobain | Released an album that revolutionised rock music | Addressed mental health struggles through his music |
Selena Gomez
Who doesn’t know Selena Gomez? She is an internationally recognised singer and actress. Selena Gomez rose to fame as a Disney star by acting on the television show ‘’Wizards of Waverly Place”. In 2025, her net worth is estimated at USD 1.3 billion!
On the flip side, she is also the most famous person with bipolar disorder. In the year 2020, she opened up about being diagnosed with the condition and has even founded the Rare Impact Fund to improve mental health access for young people. She emphasises therapy, self-care and medication to deal with the condition.
| Achievements | Year |
| Over 210 million records sold worldwide | Ongoing |
| Founder of Rare Beauty and Rare Impact Fund | 2020 |
| Emmy-nominated producer (Only Murders in the Building) | 2021 |
| UNICEF ambassador | 2009-Present |
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is another famous person with bipolar disorder The iconic singer-songwriter opened about her struggles in 2018. She was diagnosed with the condition in 2001. However, she only came out later because of her fear and denial. By sharing her journey she has inspired many people to seek support.
She credits medication, therapy and support from her family and friends to help her manage the disorder. Through her music, she emphasises the importance of self-care and treatment.
| Achievements | Year |
| 5 Grammy Awards | 1991-2010 |
| Over 200 million records sold worldwide | Ongoing |
| Billboard’s Artist of the Decade | 1990s |
| Iconic songs like Hero, We Belong Together | 1993, 2005 |
Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato, the Disney star, and singer admitted that in 2010 he had sought help from a clinic to deal with self-harm and addiction. That’s when she got to know that she was suffering from Bipolar. In 2012, MTV aired her struggles with Bipolar in a documentary.
Lovato confessed that she was having a high mood leading to reckless behaviour, and deep sadness during the depression phase. She has undergone rehabilitation, and therapy, and made several lifestyle changes to manage her condition. She is a famous person with bipolar disorder who often speaks about her struggles in her interviews.
| Achievements | Year |
| Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter | 2017 |
| Over 24 million albums sold worldwide | Ongoing |
| Mental health advocate and public speaker | 2011-Present |
| Bestselling author (Staying Strong) | 2013 |
Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson, the Academy Award-winning actor is another famous person with bipolar. He has publically acknowledged her struggles with anger, and impulsivity.
He faced controversies throughout his career yet sought treatment and spoke about the importance of mental health awareness. According to him, therapy and having a proper support system work best in dealing with bipolar.
| Achievements | Year |
| Academy Award-winning director (Braveheart) | 1995 |
| Starred in hit films like Lethal Weapon and Mad Max | 1979-1998 |
| Successful producer and director | Ongoing |
| BAFTA and Golden Globe winner | 1996 |
Carrie Fisher
Carrie Fisher, the actress who played ‘Princess Leia’ also suffers from Bipolar. She was diagnosed with the condition when she was only 24. Since then Carrie has become the most outspoken Hollywood star about mental health. She is a famous person with bipolar who has openly talked about her mania phase.
She even wrote several books to help de-stigmatise the condition. For example, Wishful Drinking (2008) where she explains her struggles with substance abuse and bipolar.
| Achievements | Year |
| Iconic role as Princess Leia in Star Wars | 1977-2017 |
| Bestselling author (Wishful Drinking) | 2008 |
| Emmy-nominated actress | 2008 |
| Mental health advocate | Ongoing |
Stephen Fry
Stephen Fry is another outspoken famous person with bipolar disorder. He is a renowned British actor, writer, and comedian. In a BBC documentary titled ‘The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive (2006)’’ he has opened up about his struggles. Stephen Fry emphasises the importance of early diagnosis. He has also spoken about his condition through speeches, books, and even interviews.
According to him, “If it’s dark and rainy, it really is dark and rainy, and you can’t alter it… But it will be sunny one day.”
| Achievements | Year |
| BAFTA-winning actor and writer | 2003 |
| Hosted QI for over a decade | 2003-2016 |
| Bestselling author and comedian | Ongoing |
| Mental health advocate and documentary filmmaker | 2006-Present |
Linda Hamilton
Have you seen the Terminator Series? Then, you know Linda Hamilton. She is the actress who played Sarah Connor. You might have also seen her on the show’ The Beauty and the Beast’’. Linda Hamilton is a famous person with bipolar disorder. She was diagnosed with the condition in her 40s, and calls the years that she didn’t know about the condition as her ‘’lost years’’.
According to her, “Somebody needs to come out and make this okay for people to talk about and get help and take advantage of the resources”.
| Achievements | Year |
| Starred in The Terminator franchise | 1984-Present |
| Golden Globe-nominated actress | 1996 |
| Public speaker on mental health | 2004-Present |
| Emmy-nominated for A Mother’s Prayer | 1996 |
Jean-Claude Van Damme
Jean Clause Van Damme is popular for his martial arts in action films. Did you know that he is also a famous person with bipolar disorder? Before he was diagnosed he was has dealt with substance abuse including alcohol and cocaine addiction. In 1988, it was found that it had rapid-cycling bipolar disorder. This means in a year he has moods!
He claims, I am an extreme bipolar, and I’m taking medication for this.” He has sought proper treatment and now manages his condition with therapy, and medication, particularly lithium.
| Achievement | Year |
| Won the European Professional Karate Association’s Middleweight Championship | 1979 |
| Starred in Bloodsport, his breakthrough martial arts film | 1988 |
| Gained global recognition with Universal Soldier | 1992 |
| Made a comeback with the critically acclaimed film JCVD | 2008 |
Catherine Zeta-Jones
The Academy Award winning actress Catherine Zeta-Jones is a famous person with bipolar disorder (II). This means she has long depressive episodes but less damaging manic episodes. Due to personal stress in 2011, she sought inpatient care to manage her mental health. When she decided to go public she raised awareness about mental health conditions.
She stated “If my revelation of having bipolar II has encouraged one person to seek help, then it is worth it. There is no need to suffer silently and there is no shame in seeking help.“
| Achievement | Year |
| Won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Chicago | 2003 |
| Received a Tony Award for A Little Night Music | 2010 |
| Appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for her contributions to film and charity | 2010 |
| Advocated for mental health awareness by openly discussing her bipolar II disorder | 2011 |
Kurt Cobain
The famous frontman of Nirvana Kurt Cobain has talked about his mental health struggles including his struggles with bipolar. He is a famous person with bipolar disorder who speaks about the same through his music. For example, in his song Lithium.
Apart from Bipolar, he has also dealt with depression and substance abuse. Sadly, he passed away in 1994 highlighting the need for seeking treatment for mental health.
| Achievement | Year |
| Released Nevermind, which revolutionized rock music and brought grunge to the mainstream | 1991 |
| Smells Like Teen Spirit became an anthem of a generation | 1991 |
| MTV Unplugged in New York showcased his raw musical talent | 1994 |
| Inducted posthumously into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Nirvana | 2014 |
FAQs
Yes. Those who seek treatment for bipolar disorder can live a normal life. However, it is important to remember that bipolar is a lifelong illness. You can manage your symptoms with treatment to live normally.
Mariah Carey, Kanye West, and Selena Gomez are some famous personalities with bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition.
Several famous people like Vincent van Gogh, Ernest Hemingway, and Virginia Woolf have suffered from bipolar. Genius or not, bipolar can happen to anyone.
It is challenging to live with Bipolar 2. However, making lifestyle changes and seeking proper treatment can help you manage your symptoms. Therefore, the sooner you seek treatment, the better.
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This was all about the famous persons with bipolar disorder. If you wish to read about more famous personalities, stay tuned to Leverage Edu.
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