The Love Child actress has told the June issue of The Weekly, on newsstands Thursday, that she has lived with bipolar since she was a teen – tracing the onset of the condition back to the death of her father when she was only twelve.
Jessica’s decision to use the pages of Australia’s biggest-selling magazine to share details of her battle with bipolar has provoked an outpouring of support on social media.
“Good on her! Will help so many women hearing this,” wrote Allison Everson.
“I admire you even more now,” commented Karen O’Connor. “Gutsy. Beautiful. Talented lady.”
From Kathy Crilley: “Good on her for speaking openly about her mental illness. Just like Catherine Zeta-Jones, the more high profile people who openly admit that they suffer Bipolar the more understanding people are towards the rest of us sufferers. Proud to admit I’m Bipolar!”
“I love Jessica!” wrote Belinda Hingst. “Good on you. I am sure this gives other people suffering bipolar strength.”
And from Amber Pickette came the comment: “Jessica Marais opens up about her battle with Bipolar in @WomensWeeklyMag. Beautifully honest & dignified on both parts.”
Sometimes referred to as the “creative curse”, bipolar is a common condition which has been thought to have affected many high-functioning creative types throughout history – including Ernest Hemingway, Vincent Van Gogh and the author Graeme Greene.
Australia’s pre-eminent authority on depression, the Black Dog Institute, describes bipolar as “a set of ‘mood swing’ conditions, the most severe of which used to be called manic depression.”
On its website, which also features a self-test, Black Dog says there are “milder and more severe” forms of the condition which sometimes manifests itself in wild mood swings – from euphoric highs to crushing lows.
Recently, other high-profile sufferers of depression, including Ian Thorpe and high-profile TV producer, Adam Boland, have bravely shared their experiences in the public sphere.
If you, or someone you know, suffers from depression, contact Lifeline – 13 11 14 or visit the Black Dog Institute website for more information www.blackdoginstitute.org.au
