Famous Persons Who Have Had BiPolar or Who Have It

These are persons who have either lived and struggled with bi-polar disorder or who are living now and are dealing with the challenge of it. Bi-Polar disorder can be managed if you learn to accept and live with it. You can live a very successful life if you want to do so. Let us name some of the people who are living today with this chemical imbalance of the brain.

1. Kay Redfield Jamison(1946)-she is a psychologist and science writer. Currently, she is a Professor of Psychiatry at John Hopkins University School of Medicine. "An Unquiet Mind", "Manic Depressive Illness, Touched with Fire," "Night Falls Fast: Understanding Suicide", and "Exuberance: The Passion for Life." I had the privilege of reading her first autobiography and I will tell you just as it is not easy for me at times in college; it was not easy for her.


2. Margot Kidder(1948)Best known as Lois Lane in the 1978 movie and sequels. She is a Canadian actress.

3. Phyllis Hyman (1949-1995) ( actress, composer, other crew member) Phyllis sang with a life affirming energy and emotional intensity found in few other female vocalists. Born in Pittsburgh in 1949 (raised in Philly) her professional career began in NYC, where she was spotted by Norman Conners, Jean Carne and Roberta Flack among others. Her irrational, self-destructive behavior was becoming common knowledge to those inside the music industry and friends.

4, Jane Pauley- (1950) Jane is an American television news anchor and journalist. She was co-host of the Today Show, Dateline, and The Jane Pauley Show. Her autobiography is "Skywriting: A Life Out of the Blue."

5. Robin Williams. (1952) Robin is a multi-award winning American actor and comedian who was born in Chicago, Illinois. He is known for impersonations, stand-up comedy and his first major acting role was on the Mork and Mindy show.

6. Margaux Hemingway-(1955-1996) She was a film actress and model who appeared in several movies. She was the granddaughter of Ernest Hemingway. She committed suicide on the anniversary of her grandfather's suicide.

7. Linda Hamilton- An american movie actress. Terminator, Beauty and the Beast, Dante's Peak and other shows. She was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder at a young age but until she resisted treatment until the age of 40.

8. Carrie Fisher-(1956) She is an American actress and WRITER......WRITER.....WRITER...!
"Postcards from the Edge" is her book that she had written and she fictionalized it. She won the Los Angeles Pen Award for the best first novel. In the 70's she began experimenting with cocaine which led to an addiction. In 1997, she was hospitalized to rebalance the meds she takes for bi-polar disorder. In 1998, she checked herself into a drug treatment program. She sought help for her drug/alcohol addiction as well as taking care of the bi-polar condition. Good for Carrie!

9. Jim Carrey(1962)-Canadian/American film actor, comedian, writer and producer, grew up in Ontario. He is best known for his manic, slapstick performances in comedy films such as Liar, Liar and Bruce, Almighty. He is an inductee of Canada's walk of Fame.

10. Kristy McNichols-(1962) She's won 2 Emmys and a Golden Globe for playing "Buddy" on the show "Family". At one time she was just running and running for her life, exhausted every day and developed some temper tantrums.


Diamond DeAngelo(1958)this is me and my accomplishments!--an american writer/poet striving to make it in life. Working on a poetry book, first a small chapbook while the first book of one hundredpoems gets published. "Fifty Petals by Diamond" will be the title of the chapbook. Despite the diagnosis of this disorder, she has achieved President's List status throughout her years at the college, has been president or student leader over several organizations, including editor of "Drumbeat" a student-run journal for African-American students. Despite health challenges, she manages to accomplish her feats/goals in life. She maintains several websites and blogs and belongs to several on-line poetry and writing groups. Her hobbies include art and photography; especially child photography. She is a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society Alumni Foundation and will soon receive her next degree by December. She will resume working on the books: "In My Father's Shadow", a memoir and "Diamond In the Rough" as soon as her poetry collections are finished. To help her to deal with the bi-polar condition, she visits the appropriate websites, read the material necessary, attend support groups, sees the dr. on a regular basis and take the needed medication.

next: more persons with this challenge, what to say to a person with bi-polar disorder and what not to say....