Noteworthy Bipolars

People who have been diagnosed as manic-depressive usually don't advertise their situation. Psychology has advanced much since the theories of Dr. Sigmund Freud, circa 1923, but public understanding and acceptance lags another century behind.

The social stigma attached is notorious, and to be avoided if at all possible. But, that's just my opinion. I could be wrong, but I'm probably not. I don't tell everyone I have bipolar disorder. I don't want the stigma that's attached. In my case I get over-emotional, and I can be rather impulsive, especially about money. Those are symptoms of bipolar disorder.

The following people are bipolar too. Either they have publicly acknowledged that they "suffer" from manic depression, or they have been "labeled" as such, due to behaviors documented during their lifetimes.

This work is periodically updated. Comments are gratefully accepted via e-mail sent to [e-mail].

Noteworthies are listed in no particular order. I would appreciate suggestions for the order names should be re-categorized-- time period, alphabetical, by professions, by public acknowledgment dates, professions.

~Johnny Manziel ~ sports

~Demi Lovato ~ singer

~Scott Stapp ~ musician (Creed)

~Rene Russo ~ actress

~Billie Holiday ~ blues singer

~ Catherine Zeta-Jones ~ actress

~ Richard Dreyfus ~ actor

~ Jim Carrey ~ comedian, actor

~ Rev Jesse Jackson ~ civil rights leader, statesman

~Shawn Colvin ~ singer

~Robert Downey, Jr. ~ actor

~Freddie Prinz ~ actor

~Ted Turner ~ media mogul

~Peter Gabriel ~ musician

~Danny Bonaduce ~ actor, radio personality

~Jane Pauley ~ newscaster

~Maurice Benard ~ soap actor (General Hospital)

~Ozzy Osbourne ~ musician, TV personality

~Winston Churchill ~ English statesman

~Rosemary Clooney ~ singer (George Clooney's aunt)

~Jayson Blair ~ former New York Times journalist

~Sheryl Crow ~ singer, songwriter

~Patty Duke ~ actress

~Carrie Fisher ~ actress

~Thomas Jefferson ~ statesman

~Jimi Hendrix ~ musician

~Kurt Cobain ~ musician (Nirvana)

~Margot Kidder ~ actress

~Abraham Lincoln ~ statesman

~Buzz Aldrin ~ astronaut

~Kristi McNichol ~ actress, animal activist

~James K. Polk ~ statesman

~Margaux Hemmingway ~ actress

~Phil Specter ~ music mogul, 60s "wall of sound"

~Ray Davies ~ musician (The Kinks)

~Ben Stiller ~ actor, comedian

~Tracey Ullman ~ actress, comedienne

~Britney Spears ~ singer, entertainer

~Robin Williams ~ actor, comedian

(NOT currently able to verify Williams with a primary source, but have you caught his standup routines and not. wondered if he was manic? Too many bipolars end their own lives). Since his death in 2015, I must wonder out loud if he was ever diagnosed. His life followed a bipolar pattern of mania and depression. Yet, he seems to have gone to his grave, possibly undiagnosed and untreated.
Substance abuse is not necessarily a symptom of bipolar, though it seems to surface often in this disorder.

~Gordon Sumner ~ musician, activist (Sting)

~Jean-Claude Van Damme ~ athlete, actor

~Tatum O'Neal ~ actress, animal activist

~Brian Wilson ~ musician (The Beach Boys)

~Virginia Wolf ~ writer

~DOUBLE CHECK REFERENCES for Francis Ford Coppola ~ director. He has not acknowledged his possible bipolar disorder to the public.

The vast majority of literature printed on bipolar disorder reflects the socio-psycho-logical-medical-esque-ness nature of this biochemical mental aberration. Many diagnosed bipolars have manipulated this "dysfunction" so that they have made positive contributions to society. Though many face exasperating emotional life challenges, an unknown percentage overcome their personal biochemical demons and gift the world with unique gifts.

Stories of success, as portrayed by these noteworthy bipolars, exist. These levels of achievement aren't necessarily the norm. The public is more aware of manic depression as associated with some horrendous behavior. Bad news makes news.

A rather scholarly presentation, Touched with Fire by Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison, is a great detailed read about literary, and artistic types, of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, who suffered from now identifiable mental disorders. Information on bipolars and schizophrenics is included in her books.

The website www.AboutBipolarDisorder.com lists specific detailed biographical information about many bipolar's, and bipolar symptoms.

~Dick Cavett ~ media mogul

~Vivian Leigh ~ actress (Gone With the Wind)

~Earl Simmons ~ musician, actor (DMX)

~Larry Flynt ~ entertainment media mogul (Hustler)

~Kitty Dukakis ~ statesman's wife

~Tony Orlando ~ musician

~Connie Francis ~ singer

~Kevin McDonald ~ comedian, actor

~Linda Hamilton ~ actress

~Mariette Hartley ~ actress

~Burgess Meredith ~ actor

~Sylvia Plath ~ writer

~Charley Pride ~ musician

~William B Rose ~ musician (Axel Rose)

These individuals have been documented as bipolar in research print, or on television shows such as "Oprah" or "Larry King." Others have documented their diagnosis on Internet sites. All people listed here have been verified as bipolar from at least two Internet sources. I'm keeping that research elsewhere . . . email me if you're interested.

~Ned Beatty ~ actor

~Robert Boorstin ~ statesman

~Art Buchwald ~ writer

~Jean Burke ~ musician (Ghafoor)

~Tim Burton ~ movie producer, director

~Robert Campeau ~ Canadian financer

~Lisa Nicole Carson ~ actress

~C E Chaffin ~ writer

~Garnet Coleman ~ statesman

~Patricia Cornwell ~ writer

~John Daly ~ athlete

~Lenny Dee ~ musician

~Bill Lichtenstein ~ TV and radio producer

~Jay Marvin ~ radio personality, writer

~Eric Douglas ~ actor

~Thomas Eagleton ~ statesman

~Margot Early ~ writer

~Robert Evans ~ film producer

~Stephen Fry ~ actor, author, comedian

~Kit Gingrich ~ statesman's mother

~Stuart Goddard ~ musician (Adam Ant)

~Shecky Greene ~ comedian, actor

~Kristin Hersh ~ musician

~Jack Irons ~ musician

~Kay Redfield Jamison ~ writer

~Daniel Johnston ~ musician

~Peter Nolan Lawrence ~ English writer

~Rika Lesser ~ writer, translator

~Dimitri Mihalis ~ scientist

~Oscar Levant ~ author, comedian, actor

~Jack London ~ author

~Spike Milligan ~ comedian

~Sir Isaac Newton ~ scientist

~Robert Munsch ~ children's author

~Ilie Nastase ~ tennis

~Norma Jeanne Mortenson ~ actress (Marilyn Monroe)
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If you are aware of bipolar individuals who should be included in this list, please drop me an e-mail at [e-mail] Thanks!

The individual bipolars in this list have been verified through articles at Wikipedia.com -- "List of People with Bipolar Disorder". All those listed above have at least two or three additional articles referencing their bipolar diagnosis/experiences in print and online.

"Bipolar Kaleidoscope" will be published by Author House