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Carrie Fisher’s candid reflections offer wisdom, humor, and hope for anyone navigating bipolar disorder.
Recognized everywhere as the iconic Princess Leia and celebrated as a prolific author, the late Carrie Fisher was also a fierce advocate for mental health. She defied the stigma surrounding bipolar disorder with her characteristic wit and honesty, becoming a true heroine for countless individuals.
Fisher was instrumental in the launch of the former bp Magazine, gracing its cover three times since 2004 and leaving a lasting impact on the bpHope community.
Here’s a collection of her wise and fearless words that continue to inspire and resonate with us all.
1. “One of the things that baffles me … is how there can be so much lingering stigma with regards to mental illness, specifically bipolar disorder. In my opinion, living with manic depression takes a tremendous amount of balls.”
2. “I grew up in this kind of fishbowl existence, and I figured, if people were going to say it about me, then I was going to say it first, and I was going to say it better. It’s my way of trying to own a situation.”
3. “You know how most illnesses have symptoms you can recognize? Like fever, upset stomach, chills, or whatever. Well, with manic depression, it’s sexual promiscuity, excessive spending, and substance abuse — and that just sounds like a fantastic weekend in Vegas to me!”
4. “At times, being bipolar can be an all-consuming challenge, requiring a lot of stamina and even more courage, so if you’re living with this illness and functioning at all, it’s something to be proud of, not ashamed of. They should issue medals along with the steady stream of medication.”
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5. “Bipolar disorder can be a great teacher. It’s a challenge, but it can set you up to be able to do almost anything else in your life.”
6. “Bipolar disorder is a mood system that functions like the weather. It’s independent of the things that happen in your life. I have problems, but they don’t have me!”
7. “I’ve had to rise to occasions — not just on the stage — in order to survive, so that bruising is my blessing, and those liabilities are my strength now.”
8. “Think of it as an opportunity to be heroic — not ‘I survived living in Mosul during an attack’ heroic, but an emotional survival. An opportunity to be a good example to others who might share our disorder.”
9. “Hilariously — after all the [drugs] and celebration marriage and mental illness and divorce and shock treatment and heartbreak and motherhood and childhood and neighborhood and hood in general — I’ve turned out to be (at close to 70) a kind of happy person (go figure!).”
10. “I am a spy in the house of me. I report back from the front lines of the battle, which is me. I am somewhat nonplussed by the event that is my life.”
11. “I’m fine, but I’m bipolar. I’m on seven medications, and I take medication three times a day. This constantly puts me in touch with the illness I have. I’m never quite allowed to be free of that for a day. It’s like being a diabetic.”
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12. “So when I was 24, someone suggested to me that I was bipolar, and I thought that was ridiculous. I just thought he was trying to get out of treating me. But he was also responding to the chaotic nature of my life.”
13. “I have two moods. One is Roy, rollicking Roy, the wild ride of a mood. And Pam, sediment Pam, who stands on the shore and sobs…. Sometimes the tide is in, sometimes it’s out.”
14. “Having waited my entire life to get an award for something, I now get awards all the time for being mentally ill.… I’m apparently very good at it.”
15. “[I’m] a human who’s had her fair share of challenging and unhappy experiences. Over time, I’ve paid attention, taken notes, and forgotten easily half of everything I’ve gone through. But I’ll rifle through the half I recall and lay it at your feet.”
