Health issues

‘I lived in fear’: Mariah Carey reveals battle with bipolar disorder

Apr 12, 2018

Mariah Carey opened up on her secret disorder.

Mariah Carey has revealed a secret battle with bipolar disorder left her “living in fear and isolation” – just weeks after her ex James Packer quit his business empire amid a mental health battle.

The singer, 48, has admitted she was diagnosed in 2001, but lived in “denial” and put off getting treatment over fears of being “exposed”, shortly after she was hospitalised for an apparent physical and mental breakdown.

Speaking in a tell-all chat with People magazine, she said: “I didn’t want to believe it… Until recently I lived in denial and isolation and in constant fear someone would expose me. It was too heavy a burden to carry and I simply couldn’t do that anymore. I sought and received treatment.”

Sufferers of bipolar II can struggle with periods of depression, as well as hypomania, which can cause sleeplessness and hyperactivity. She’s now on medication and seeks regular therapy, after initially believing she had “severe sleep disorder”.

“It turns out that I was experiencing a form of mania… I guess my depressive episodes were characterized by having very low energy. I would feel so lonely and sad,” she added.

It was first reported in 2001 that Mariah had been hospitalised following a breakdown, and while there were allegations of a suicide attempt at the time – her publicist later denied those. Spokeswoman Cindy Berger described it as an “emotional and physical breakdown” at the time.

It comes just weeks after Mariah’s ex James Packer stepped down as director of Crown Resorts, which owns casinos around Australia, citing mental health reasons.

Mariah’s ex James Packer revealed his mental health battle recently. Source: Getty.

Crown announced his unexpected departure in a brief statement to the Australian Securities Exchange, saying that Packer had personal reasons for resigning. “We have appreciated James’ contribution to the board and respect his decision to step down from his role as director at this time,” Crown’s executive chairman John Alexander said.

But a spokesman for Packer’s private investment company Consolidated Press Holdings told news outlets that Packer was taking a step back from all commitments to focus on his mental health. “Mr Packer is suffering from mental health issues,” the spokesman said.

In October last year, the 50-year-old son of late Australian tycoon Kerry Packer spoke out about his financial and family troubles, as well as his failed relationship with pop diva Mariah, in a very frank interview with The Weekend Australian Magazine.

“Two years ago I was terrified. I had $2.3 billion of debt at CPH [Consolidated Press Holdings, his private company], over $3 billion of debt at Crown, I’d just appointed Rob [Rankin as chairman of Crown], Macau was falling over and [sister] Gretel was on my doorstep,” Packer said to The Australian‘s Damon Kitney. “Then a year later I’ve got China falling apart, the Australian casino businesses missing budgets by big amounts, I’ve got Mariah breaking up with me and I’m thinking ‘f…’.”