The Case of Angelina Jolie
It may sound like a mere rumor but it is a verifiable fact that the celebrated Hollywood movie star, Angelina Jolie has been a victim of bipolar personality disorder. Born on the fourth day of June 1975, the actress, who is a favorite in the entertainment industry, was named Angelina Jolie Voights (Tracy, 2008). Voights, her father was an actor and had met Angelina’s mother in the movie industry as she was into the acting business as well. Angelina’s parents separated in the year 1976 following Voight’s infidelity tendencies. The breakup has been pointed out as being the key factor behind Angelina’s condition. However, other psychologists argue that at the age of one, Angelina was too young to perceive the negative influences of the social hiccup in their family. Other experts point out that it is at such a tender age that a child can be adversely affected by rifts in the family, since at such a tender age, the kids find the family as being the one, most critical source of protection. This paper seeks to explain bipolar disorders in light of Angelina Jolie’s case.
Angelina Jolie, arguably the most celebrated woman in the Hollywood movie industry, was named as being the highest paid actress in the year 2009 by the famous Forbes magazine. Two years later, the same magazine was to name her for the same position. It may be difficult, however, to believe that such a celebrated woman had an exceptionally rough childhood. It may be difficult to imagine that Angelina Jolie underwent discrimination during her days at Beverly Hills High School. During her teens, Angelina displayed weird tendencies that later came to be diagnosed as bipolar personality disorder (Tracy, 2008). During a 1999 interview, Angelina confesses having hurt herself many times during her teens. According to the actress, her first suicidal attempt was at the age of thirteen when she inflicted serous cuts on her body. Asked why she would resort to hurting herself, Angelina said that she could not possibly explain the phenomenon but she was, at that time, excited with blood.
At Beverly Hills High School, student from the affluent backgrounds teased Angelina who was from a humble background where the mother, a modest earner, was the sole breadwinner. This made Angelina develop a sense of low self worth. Further, other children mocked and made fun of her as she was exceptionally, skinny and wore teeth braces. This added to the low self worth and degenerated into depression. The depression she suffered made her feel isolated and keep off other children at school. Angelina developed a tendency to lock up herself as she could not trust people any more. In 2000 interview, she explained that after her father had left them, she grew to mistrust all people. During the depression period, Angelina attempted suicide and other forms of self hurt. In the early 1990s, she visited a psychiatrist in New York and was diagnosed with a phase I bipolar disorder.
The major problem associated with the bipolar disorder is the fact that the activities that a person suffering the condition is likely to engage in can result in loss of life and permanent damage. For instance, the suicidal tendencies and suicidal attempts can result in the demise of a person or the destruction of property (Peacock, 2002). A bipolar patient can as well harm others or get them held liable for the death and destructions that they cause. In other words, an individual with bipolar disorder can kill themselves in a building where they reside with others. In such instances, the other people may have to be taken through judicial procedures since they will be named and identified as the principal suspects. The second problem that can be associated with this disorder is the fact that such individuals can drop out of school, have ruined careers or a broken and devastated family. This is mainly because no employer will be comfortable having an emotionally unstable employee around their premises. Similarly, family members may develop fear towards the individual. At school, the person may face various prejudices from other students who consider the affected individual inferior.
Among the key strengths that can be linked to this disorder is the fact that individuals showing bipolar tendencies can have a particularly excellent sense of creativity (Healy, 2008). It is for this reason that most of them make very good musicians, actors, politicians and even artists. Additionally, people with bipolar tendencies are particularly confident and ready to take risks. Taking risks is one of the best steps towards achieving success in life. Psychologists argue that people with the bipolar disorders have sharper senses than the average normal human being (Bipolar disorder: upswing in research and treatment, 2005). A research done on people with the disorder indicated that they were more likely to perform better at work when everything seemed difficult. They have a tendency to develop a positive attitude towards difficult situations, usually emerging successful.
There are a number of reasons behind describing Angelina Jolie as one of the key celebrities suffering the bipolar disorder. One of the reasons is that Angelina has displayed a sense of sexual confusion since her early days in the world of showbiz. The woman has commented twice in interviews that she would not mind engaging in an intimate relationship with a girl, if she felt that she loved her. This was in an interview in the year 1999. In July 2003 Angelina commented that she was in love with virtually everything, ranging from men with female tendencies to women with masculine traits (Tracy, 2008). This was cause for controversy but she was less concerned about the views that people held concerning her tastes and preferences. Additionally, Angelina has always engaged in volatile relationships, the most notable being the relationship between her and her husband, Billy Bob Thornton. The relationships have been roller coaster rides. This, according to psychiatrists and psychologists is a symptom of serious bipolar disorders.
Among others, Angelina has displayed such tendencies as drug abuse and eating disorders. During her childhood and early teens, Angelina had serious eating disorders that explained why she was exceptionally skinny in her days at Beverly Hills High School. When a video of Angelina and another woman using heroine went online in the year 2005, the two were reluctant to comment on the same. Angelina simply asserted that it was common for people to display a negative self image of her. The fact that she did not show much concern has been explained as yet another symptom of the disorder since people with personality disorder care less about what other people think about them.
Ina bid to help Angelina Jolie, interdisciplinary involvement has been described as the most effectual remedial measure since such a step will help the specialists get a clear picture of that which is exactly affecting the woman (Tracy, 2008). With a team of psychologists, psychiatrists and psychotherapists, Angelina is undergoing intervention. The major objective of the intervention, which was initiated in 2004, is to prevent the disorder from extending into the acute phases. According to doctors, treating the acute phase is exceptionally difficult. Other self-help efforts by the woman herself include the decision to adopt a child. The adoption of the child gave a subject to focus on. The doctors that specialize in this area say that such things as getting a child into the life of a person with a bipolar disorder is a good way of creating a bigger picture and giving such people a purpose to have a meaningful life.
The objectives of the goals vary but they all have some common objectives. For instance, they all aim at the mental stability of the patient. Similarly, the goals aim at stabilizing the moods of the individual. Instability and volatility in the change of moods is a principal characteristic in the psychiatric cases (Ketter, 2004). The celebrity is currently consuming mood stabilizing drugs. These are aimed at eliminating the inconsistencies in the mood of the individual. The intervention as well covers such disciplines as pharmacological measures. As per 2010, Angelina Jolie was said to be mentally stable, and displayed little symptoms of bipolar disorders. Arguably, the improvement in her condition can be attributed to her option to adopt a child and employ interdisciplinary intervention. As such, it is highly recommended that the people suffering the mental disorder should seek intervention at the early phases since treating the condition at acute phases is particularly difficult.
References
Bipolar disorder: upswing in research and treatment. (2005). London: Taylor & Francis.
Healy, C. (2008). Understanding your Borderline Personality Disorder a Workbook. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.
Ketter, T. A. (2004). Advances in treatment of bipolar disorder. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Pub.
Peacock, J. (2002). Bipolar disorder a roller coaster of emotions. Minn: Life Matters.
Tracy, K. (2008). Angelina Jolie: a biography. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press.
