Second, if Gibson really does have bipolar and media/pop culture are making fun or light of the disorder, what are the chances that he’ll actually seek out help? Bipolar is a very serious medical condition that can lead those who suffer from it to hurt themselves or others if it’s uncontrolled. Getting a phone call from a hospital that someone you know has tried to commit suicide because they were in a hyper-depressive state and had little sense of reality is something I would not wish on anyone.
Though I know by writing this piece I, too, am drawing attention to these negative perceptions of bipolar disorder, I hope that what I say here can help some people to better understand the reality of what mental illness does to a person. While it’s easy as a populace to look at the actions of celebrities and condemn them for the wrongs they do, we are never privy to the whole story. Yet our perceptions of what they do and our own actions that follow can have a very real impact on the lives of celebrities as well.
I would urge anyone who uses the term “bipolar” as a generalization in their everyday language to think long and hard about the consequences of doing so. You’re not only devaluing the seriousness of the condition itself, but also desensitizing those around you to it, which could cost someone their life.
Read more:
http://blogcritics.org/culture/article/bipolar-use-the-term-wisely-and/page-3/#ixzz0x9OohUMy
