Media Contacts:
Rachel Yarmolinsky
Director of Media Relations
Phone: 212-543-5353
Dacia Morris
Public Information Officer
Phone: (212) 543-5421
Fax: (212) 543-5220
NYS Psychiatric Institute at
Columbia University Medical Center
1051 Riverside Drive, Unit 30
New York, NY 10032
Bipolar Disorder, and Society’s Response
To the Editor:
Re “My So-Called Bipolar Life,” by Jamie Stiehm (Op-Ed, Jan. 18):
Stories of bipolar disorder, like Ms. Stiehm’s, resonate with the public and the media. This year, the television series “Homeland” won a Golden Globe award for best TV drama. Two years ago, “Next to Normal,” a play about a mother with bipolar disorder, won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Untreated, bipolar disorder can lead to wildly euphoric and manic behavior as well as depressive, suicidal phases. These behaviors not only fascinate but also repel; fear of mental illness leads to debilitating stigma for the mentally ill.
As these stories demonstrate, the entertainment industry, like the media, can play an important role in increasing public awareness of mental disorders, enabling our society to better understand and diminish the stigma associated with mental illness.
JEFFREY A. LIEBERMAN
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/27/opinion/bipolar-disorder-and-societys-response.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail0=y
