Celebrity Health!
How wife Catherine Zeta-Jones Bipolar ii Disorder symptoms might affect cancer survivor husband Michael Douglas —
[Apr. 14]
Actress Catherine Zeta-Jones is being treated for Bipolar ii Disorder and her husband Michael Douglas has been bravely fighting off cancer. The celebrity couple has put on a steadfast brave face to the outside world, letting on only that the pair were concerned for his health and medical prognosis — never hers. Michael Douglas is the son of actor Kirk Douglass and Catherine Zeta-Jones was a love he met late in life. The actress who is best remembered for her work in the musical movie Chicago with Richard Gere, Queen Latifah, and Renee Zellweger met Douglas after she filmed the hit film Zoro with Antonio Banderas but long before Hollywood realized she was not just another pretty face. Slightly obsessed and driven at times, alternating her persona with a humble and fragile grace, Zeta-Jones always seemed the temperamental artistic type… but Bipolar? Yikes.
Web MD reveals the symptoms of Bipolar ii Disorder — and we, like everyone else, had to look up what the diagnosis really was. The medical based website revealed the following bipolar symptoms and the street name for the disease — manic depression — stating as follows:
Bipolar II disorder (pronounced “bipolar two”) is a from of mental illness. Bipolar II is similar to bipolar I disorder, with moods cycling between high and low over time.
However, in bipolar II disorder, the “up” moods never reach full-on mania. The less-intense elevated moods in bipolar II disorder are called hypomanic episodes, or hypomania.
A person affected by bipolar II disorder has had at least one hypomanic episode in life. Most people with bipolar II disorder also suffer from episodes of depression. This is where the term “manic depression” comes from.
In between episodes of hypomania and depression, many people with bipolar II disorder live normal lives.
With actor Michael Douglas fragile state, having his wife be less than emotionally stable had to make things tough on him during his recovery. However, it also may have given him even more of a reason to fight the cancer and vow to stay alive.
Why?
For the sake of the celebrity couple’s young children, of course.
You see, with mommy needing psychiatric care and special treatment that is likely to be ongoing for the rest of her life, it is all the more important that her celebrity children have a stable parental care figure around. Despite the fact that technically Michael Douglass would probably make a better grandfather due to his age and frailty, he is still a doting father doing more now than ever to parent (rather than simply pass the buck of childcare solely on to his wife).
In that, Michael Douglas assumes the role of care giver and family provider despite [and in spite of] his physical weaknesses, and actually becomes even more of a hero.
As for Catherine Zeta-Jones, we applaud her decision to make the news of her mental illness public. As a star power, she will undoubtedly have the ability to not only procure the best of care for herself but also can influence public perception of manic depression, educating them about the diagnosis of Bipolar ii Disorder. Though difficult at times to manage, the illness in and of itself can be managed successfully with proper health and fitness routines that include medication, healthy food, stress management techniques, and a life of self-reflection that by nature will require learning to take personal responsibility while at the same time being self forgiving.
Who is at risk for bipolar disorders? Web MD further shares:
Virtually anyone can develop bipolar II disorder. About 2.5% of the U.S. population suffers from some from of bipolar disorder — almost six million people.
Most people are in their teens or early 20s when symptoms of bipolar disorder first start. Nearly everyone with bipolar II disorder develops it before age 50.
People with an immediate family member with bipolar are at higher risk.
It is for these reasons, the prevalence of manic depression in modern society, that Catherine Zeta-Jones coming out of the closet to share news about her invisible disease, becomes so important.
If someone you know might be at risk and exhibits any of the following symptoms, consult with your medical advisor or doctor about diagnostic criteria and finding support groups in your area.
During a hypomanic episode, elevated mood can manifest itself as either euphoria (feeling “high”) or as irritability.
Symptoms during hypomanic episodes include but are not limited to:
- Flying suddenly from one idea to the next
- Rapid, “pressured,” and loud speech
- Increased energy, with hyperactivity and a decreased need for sleep
- People experiencing hypomanic episodes are often quite pleasant to be around. They can often seem like the “life of the party” — making jokes, taking an intense interest in other people and activities, and infecting others with their positive mood. Hypomania can also lead to erratic and unhealthy behavior. People in hypomanic episodes might spend money they don’t have, seek out sex with people they normally wouldn’t, and engage in other impulsive or risky behaviors.
- Depressive episodes in bipolar II disorder are similar to “regular” clinical depression, with depressed mood, loss of pleasure, low energy and activity, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, and thoughts of suicide.