Catherine Zeta-Jones Hopes Bipolar Diagnosis Helps Others: Plus Other Stars Who Are Bipolar

Catherine Zeta-Jones has embraced her bipolar diagnosis and has brought the topic out for public conversation. While she is typically a very private person when it comes to her personal life, the star has taken to the pages of InStyle magazine to discuss the challenges of her diagnosis in hopes of helping others.

"It's not easy," she says of her 2011 bipolar II disorder diagnosis. "I'm not the kind of person who likes to shout out my personal issues from the rooftops, but with my bipolar becoming public, I hope fellow sufferers will know it's completely controllable. I hope I can help remove any stigma attached to it, and that those who don't have it under control will seek help with all that is available to treat it."

While there is still a stigma attached to a bipolar disorder diagnosis stars like Catherine are bringing the disorder out of the shadows and into the light by taking power from their own challenges to help inspire others. Here are some of the other celebrities who have admitted to being bipolar:

Demi Lovato: The "X Factor" judge came off the rails in late 2010 after dropping out of the Jonas Brothers Live in Concert World tour to seek out treatment for some then unknown physical and emotional issues. She would later confirm to "Good Morning America" that she sought out help for bulimia, self injury and depression. It was during her stay in rehab that the young star was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. These days she has taken control of her life by sharing her story in the March 2012 MTV documentary "Stay Strong" in which she chronicled her downward spiral and triumphant rise back to the top.

Jesse Jackson Jr: It came as quite a surprise when the congressman mysteriously disappeared from Washington D.C. and the campaign trail earlier this year. The disappearance was explained months later when the Mayo Clinic released a statement in August stating that the high profile politician was receiving treatment in their facility for bipolar II depression. The announcement may have been a shock to voters who wanted to know where their representative had gone, but it didn't stop him from winning his re-election bid last week.

Carrie Fisher: She was raised in Hollywood royalty as the daughter of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher. Later she would find her own professional success in the iconic role of Princess Leia in the original "Star Wars" trilogy. Off-screen the star went through years of ups and downs before being diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age of 28. These days she's a champion of the cause by sharing her story in order to inspire others to take control of the disorder. Just last week, she was received the Utah Film Center's Kim Peek Award for Disability in Media for her work raising awareness of the disorder.

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