Sinead O' Connor was supposed to be embarking on a huge world tour. It was going to be a comeback of sorts and with all the publicity she has received lately with her on again/off again marriage to the drug counselor and her love of drugs making it quite ironic, this was her time to make some money. Instead she canceled the entire thing because of her bipolar disorder.
She wrote that she is "very unwell," and that her doctor advised her not to do anything because of the breakdowns she has suffered in the first part of the year. I think that is solid advice. No tour is worth your health. You would think that with all the advances in science she could take some medications to help her improve her ability to function, but then again, giving medicine to a drug addict also comes with some risks too. I wish her the best because she has gone through one of a year which is kind of like every year for people with a bipolar disorder. My question to the doctors and nurses here is that she has always seemed to be able to live with the disorder in the past and it has really just surface recently. Why do you think no one noticed before?
Medication only works if you actually take it.
ReplyDeleteI think, like Mel, things like this can get progressively worse.
ReplyDeleteShe was out of the spotlight for a good 20 years -- I'm no medical expert but it seems entirely possible that coming back into celebrity-dom might naturally exacerbate a person's highs and lows, whether they're bipolar or not.
ReplyDeletethe thing about sinead is that she is so masterfully talented that if she weren't so ill she never would have fallen off of the map in the way that she did. back in the day she was at least as big as madonna was. and so much more talented.
ReplyDeleteshe was basically discovered while singing during her chores at a home for 'wayward' girls. her family life was horrible, and I believe that her mother was very abusive.
so, its not that her illness wasn't noticed, or that it didn't effect her, but maybe it wasn't properly treated. who knows. I hope she can heal.
Came to write exactly what @Amy said.
ReplyDeleteI think she has been in a manic state for a long time and that its during those times we notice her because of her strange behavior, like marrying someone seemingly out of the blue and almost buying some crack on your wedding night..
ReplyDeleteShe might still be in this manic state but its more probable that it has turned into depression now, symtoms of her bi polarity becoming more "acute" and obvious. Hence the "doctors note" not to embark on this world tour she probably planned during her manic state..
Sorry, english isnt my first language..
Having a family member with the disease, I concur that it is exacerbated by stress - external, lifestyle stress, physical illness, and so forth. A person can be stable for years and then have a triggering event that throws them for a loop. The train can run clean off the track really quickly.
ReplyDeleteI think this phenomenon is especially true because many folks stop taking their stabilizing meds when they're feeling good, and fight like hell to stay off them when their world inevitably comes crashing down.
I suspect that menopause is playing a part in her inability to get a handle on things even with support and medication.
ReplyDeleteI wish her nothing but the best.
Also agree with MiVida - she has probably been manic for some time. (Also, MiVida, please don't apologize for your English - it's great!)
ReplyDeleteIt's so heartbreaking to think of the abuse she must have suffered as a young person - my family member was a victim also. It's so devastating and affects the victim's life so profoundly.
I am glad she is taking her doctor's advice and taking time off to get better. I love her music and hope to hear more from her someday.
ReplyDeleteMenopause may be playing a role, as well as stress of a world tour - her med needs might be changing, but unfortunately, there is no magic number like with antibiotics or aspirin. Sometimes it's a juggling act - try this dose...hrm...not enough? then add this...hrm...too much? you get the picture. Of course drugs in the mix does NOT help. Let her get drug free, then try to get her bipolar disorder under control. When they've found the right combo and she's stable, then she can start planning. I wish her luck.
ReplyDeleteIm glad she is thinking of her mental health and not money or fame. She has a real mental health disease and i hate it when people give this diagnosis to every celebrity that acts out because their a**holes! Sinead is a true fighter!
ReplyDeleteI agree with @Amy & @MiVida.
ReplyDeleteAlso wanted to add that medications aren't always the right "fix". In my own experience, I was not able to even BEGIN my journey to sanity until off all meds. At one point they certainly helped but after some time it was nothing more than 7 different meds being dumped into a shell of a person.
At some point you have to decide you actually want to be well & realize it is possible when you try. For me the pills were not the answer, just an excuse for me to not have to put forth any effort on my own.
Sounds like Sinead could be serious this time & agree that taking time off is probably for the best right now. I wish her well & send her lots of positive thoughts.
Thanks Frufra :) I feels like I'm not always finding the right words and I'm not always sure about the grammar, but I'm glad you understand me anyways. Also trying to explain a disease progression I know very well in my own language (swedish) I want it to sound and read right to the rest of you.
ReplyDeleteI really wish Sinead the best and hope that she finds the way that suits her best to cope with her disease. There are somethings that we might not ever be able to change, sometimes we just have to learn how to best cope with something. This can be a lifelong process but you've got to keep trying.
I feel for her and all of you that live with being bi polar. My ex husband is and I wouldn't wish what he's gone through on my worst enemy.
ReplyDeleteYour english and grammar are excellent @MiVidaCoca!
ok, being bi-polar myself, I can say there is no magical happy pill. You have to experiment with drug levels, and combos, and sometimes something will work for a few months and then *POOF* works no more! I faithfully take my meds ever day, but I still suffer depressive lows sometimes. It's the nature of the beast...
ReplyDeleteThe thing about bi-polar is you have ups and downs. The downs are very low and she must be in this phase right now and unable to handle the rigors and stress of touring. I wish her well and hope she feels better.I have always liked her.
ReplyDeleteI remember Sinead performed at a big festival here in Ireland a few years ago. A lot of people went along, expecting a train wreck. She was brilliant, her voice is still magnificent.
ReplyDeleteAlso, regarding her family history, her brother is a pretty famous journalist and author here. He has stood by her through an awful lot of her troubles, but it seems that the family have doubts about the sexual abuse. All agree that her mother was bipolar though and Sinead spent more time with her because if the parents divorce. Sinead definitely went through some bad emotional abuse with her though.
I echo Grow's compassionate entry.
ReplyDeleteI came here to say something snarky but after reading all your comments I just can't.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that she is taking her doctor's advice. I hope that she is able to figure out what she needs to do to live with her disease. She has so much talent and it's so sad to hear about her struggles.
ReplyDeleteShe's lucky to have people looking out for her and her best interests. I don't think anyone did that for Britney a few years back--just patched her up a bit and put her back on the road.
ReplyDeleteI've suffered from bipolar disorder for years and I know that when I am manic I do and say things that are completely humiliating to remember or hear about once I come out of the mania. When a mania is over and you're depressed and trying to clean up the mess you made while you were manic it is very difficult. I cannot imagine the horror I would feel if my actions were publicized as hers were. She does not need to be in the public eye right now... manic or depressed. I feel for her and others (Britney). It's a hard disease to deal with in private, much less with the whole world watching.
ReplyDelete@ Millie, that's just what I was thinking. I know my family member does things during mania that are humiliating; how would it be if s/he was doing those things with an international audience? And during the manic phase, my family member would be all for spreading their ideas as far and wide as possible.
ReplyDeleteKudos to you, Millie and other posters, who are dealing with your illness head on and with courage. Accepting a diagnosis and the help it offers is such a huge step towards managing mental illness, whether you choose therapy, medication, or some combination of the two.
Thanks Frufra! I go the med route and I take them exactly as prescribed, but it's certainly not foolproof. Even though I never get the crazy idea to off them, sometimes the meds just don't work and thus a manic episode happens. It's a shitty deal, but there are others with far worse illnesses. I'm glad to have the support system I have and I value every day that I am sane.
ReplyDeleteShe can still sing. Incredibly. Her recent ferocious version of Bob Dylan's "Property Of Jesus" is mind blowing. I urge you all to listen to it.
ReplyDeleteYou think nobody noticed before? Crazy is part of Sinead's charm, always has been.
ReplyDelete