Connect with people who understand what you are going through, seek advice and surround yourself with support. We're free, anonymous, and professionally moderated 24/7.

47,612Members
1,358,869Posts
1,400,000Visitors

Brave public faces - more please

rollercoasterCasual Contributor02 Oct 2015, 8:28 pm AEST

Brave public faces - more please

It makes such a difference to me as a survivor of bipolar (and rough ups and downs over 20 years) to see people like Stephen Fry and John Brogden come out and publicly tell their story.

I want to thank them for their leadership and encourage others to also share. With 1 in 5 people experiencing mental health issues there are plenty more public figures with challenging stories. I hope for a world where their bravery and courage can be supported and they feel safe to talk.

In the mean time, anonymity in places like this helps too. It means that tough experiences can be shared and you can truly appreciate that you are not alone.

One day we will have a rose batty - Australian of the year - for mental health.
A survivor like John Brogden recognised for his bravery.

That will be a good day.

14 replies

1 - 10 of 14

1 2

In response to: Brave public faces - more please

Unknown userMember02 Oct 2015, 8:30 pm AEST

Re: Brave public faces - more please

Hi and Welcome to you @rollercoaster

You're very right, its inspirational to have such brave people 'come out'. I agree, hopefully we will have someone like rosie to stand up but i hope it doesnt take such sad circumstances

In response to: Re: Brave public faces - more please

NikNikSenior Contributor02 Oct 2015, 8:38 pm AEST

Re: Brave public faces - more please

What an amazing post @rollercoaster

Swimmer Leisel Jones has just released a book in which she apparently discloses her battle with mental illness. Takes courage to 'come out', but it makes such a huge difference to the stigma attached to MI.

Do any other public figures come to mind who have shared their story about mental illness?

In response to: Brave public faces - more please

rollercoasterCasual Contributor03 Oct 2015, 5:44 am AEST

Re: Brave public faces - more please

I also think of Geoff gallop who stepped down as Premier of WA due to depression. And certainly Stephen fry's documentary lets a lot of celebrities speak about their battles (Carrie fisher, robbie williams). And k always love the story of John Cleese going off his medication when filming Faulty Towers. It's important to me for many reasons, but one is that when I was at uni, studying feminism and Freud (yes a little wanky) the conversation turned to mental health. People kept saying stories like "I know that homeless people are often ill" etc, which is true, But also suggests that everyone who is ill is low functioning. I spoke up in class after about 10 mins of this "poor mad homeless people" conversation and said "you don't have to be destitute - I have bipolar and have been in hospital and I'm just like you." It came off with a tinge on anger, and these days I am much better at speaking about my experience when I need to, but having high functioning roll models helps people with little knowledge of mental health have a better understanding of what it does and doesn't do. Thanks for engaging in this conversation.

In response to: Brave public faces - more please

JystmeSenior Contributor03 Oct 2015, 10:31 am AEST

Re: Brave public faces - more please

Yes Jeff Kennett

In response to: Re: Brave public faces - more please

chookmojoSenior Contributor03 Oct 2015, 2:16 pm AEST

Re: Brave public faces - more please

Will Wheaton has talked about his issues with anxiety and depression. There's a clip on YouTube which I can't link to but searching it is very easy.

In response to: Re: Brave public faces - more please

AppleblossomSenior Contributor03 Oct 2015, 7:55 pm AEST

Re: Brave public faces - more please

Welcome @rollercoaster I did a lot of Freud and Lacan but only encountered Feminism through other disciplines .. eg Lit (love Adrienne Rich) and Psychoanalysis and Social Theory .. eg Irigaray, Kristeva,

Whe I cam back to uni recently I was blown away by Queer theory and postcolonial writers etc ..

Neil Cole Labour MP came out about bi-polar in 1988 .. I met him once .. nice bloke .. I prefer to stick to at home celebrities .. but something more than football PLEEZ.

Anyway he wrote the play "Alive at Williamstown Pier"

In response to: Re: Brave public faces - more please

AppleblossomSenior Contributor03 Oct 2015, 8:43 pm AEST

Re: Brave public faces - more please

This is a great thread .. but I have one caveat ...

Inspiring role models are great .. if it helps us thrive and the world change limiting thoughts and behaviours ... however citing celebrities who have made it in spite of medical illness can become an excess of exceptionalism ideologies when reduced to ... "so why haven't I" .. or much worse .. "so why haven't you"

Just had to say that .. Keep going though .. please add more ...

In response to: Brave public faces - more please

rollercoasterCasual Contributor03 Oct 2015, 9:12 pm AEST

Re: Brave public faces - more please

Thanks for this, I will go and have a read!

In response to: Brave public faces - more please

rollercoasterCasual Contributor03 Oct 2015, 9:28 pm AEST

Re: Brave public faces - more please

Totally agree ... They also are likely to have the money that makes recovery easier than what it is like for the rest of us who rely on the public system.

Just do like the space it creates for re-examining what is normal.

Also enjoying reading "an unquiet mind" by a wonderful psychiatrist who talks about her manic depression. Love people who have come out so the rest of us can feel a little less alone.

In response to: Brave public faces - more please

Peter_Pan78Senior Contributor03 Oct 2015, 9:42 pm AEST

Re: Brave public faces - more please

Yes, In Stephen Fry's documentary about his bipolar he admitted that his "colourful" personality was supported by the acting community. What about the average bipolar sufferer who has an average job and treated averagely? I feel him being a celebrity misrepresents the average bipolar sufferer who does not benefit from the manic highs and who need medication to manage it (Fry admits in the doco "maybe" he should be on some medication. I felt he was very flippant about his bipolar which frustrated me (so many people who don't understand mental illness will be watching doco to learn about bipolar).

1 - 10 of 14

1 2