Does Catherine Zeta Jones have a responsibility to spread the word and help others with bipolar disorder?

Great question: My friend Marsha and I went round and round with this one. She feels that celebrities with bi-polar disorder have a responsibility to be role models. Even thought I completely see her side, I think it's wishful thinking.

It's true that that celebrity endorsements work much better than the stories of 'real people' when it comes to getting the word out about bipolar disorder. In one simple statement that she has bipolar two and is getting treatment, Catherine Zeta Jones made it ok for even more people to say they have the illness. But does this means she has to talk about it in the press each time she is in public? In fact, do you think she has a responsibility to talk about it at all?

The Price of Being a Celebtrity with Bipolar Disorder!

Interestingly, celebrity bipolar disorder disclosure comes with a big price, and it's not stigma. Already being very productive, rich and famous erases much of the stigma anyway- especially when you can live in a PR bubble.

Instead, the price is that the whole world wants the celebrity to become an expert, advocate, guru, magazine cover draw and spokesperson!

It will be interesting to see how Catherine Zeta Jones handles this. By being honest (her psychiatric treatment was outed on the cover of the lovely National Enquirer!) and stopping the gossip directly, she has now walked into the realm of being one of 'US.'

And people are going to want a big piece of that! I think she will just move on and say no thank you to the spokesperson role. My friend hopes she will come around and see how she can help millions of people around the world tell the truth without fear of stigma!

What do you think?

Julie

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