Carrie Fisher's Most Important Role: Confronting Stigma And Reducing Shame

McLean Hospital Guest Blogger Catherine Ulrich Milliken, LICSW, MLADC, LCS Actress and writer Carrie Fisher died at the age of 60 on Tuesday after going into cardiac arrest on Friday during a flight from London to Los Angeles. Fisher was a longtime advocate for mental health awareness, sharing publicly her own battle with bipolar and substance use disorders. She encouraged those who struggled with bipolar disorder and substance use issues to join in community and find comfort in shared feelings and experiences. As we remember her advocacy and commitment to confronting stigma and reducing shame, let's explore what we know about these disorders and what we can do to help. What We Know About Co-Occurring Bipolar and Substance Use Disorders Bipolar disorder is a serious mental health disorder affecting approximately 5.7 million adults each year (Kessler, Crum, et al., 1997)1, representing 8.1 percent of all diagnosed mental illness (US Department of Health and Human Services, 1999)2 in the United States. Bipolar disorder is characterized by sudden and intense shifts in mood, behavior, and energy levels and can present in a variety of ways, making diagnosis challenging. Like substance use disorders, bipolar disorder impacts physical and emotional wellbeing, and has been associated with higher rates of relationship problems, economic instability, accidental injury, suicide, and addiction. Studies have demonstrated that people with bipolar disorder have higher rates of co-occurr...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news