At Home with the Furys and West End musical Next to Normal both focus on the condition – attention is positive, but needs to be handled with care, writes Sally Newall
It’s recommended that bipolar is treated with medication and talking therapy. Fury previously said in an interview “exercise is my medication”, and we see him training. My worry is that bipolar could be interpreted as an illness that’s manageable by going for a jog. Or a viewer could consider the disorder incompatible with family life. I know first hand that, when diagnosed and managed, the highs and lows can be evened out – but too many sufferers don’t have that luxury.
In late 2017, something snapped. I changed psychiatrists – terrifying, as I knew it would mean new medication. She asked me about my mood swings and spoke to my mum about my teenage years . I was diagnosed and given a mood stabiliser and told to come back every three months and to continue seeing the psychologist.
I’ve got better with my self care: I try to get eight hours’ sleep, drink less and move more. I see friends but spend less on eating out and booze and more on exercise. Nearly half of bipolar sufferers are obese and my weight has crept up since I stabilised. Now, I do pilates in a studio where they play classical music and no phones are allowed – bliss. I also go to a personal training gym, where I’m open about my mental health. And I’ve met someone. I told about my diagnosis on our third date.