Bipolar Is Not a Superpower, and Famous People Shouldn't Say That It Is

Recently, world-renowned chef Heston Blumenthal told the world he has bipolar disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and he called his neurodiversity a "superpower."¹

While I'm happy for people who feel that way, I in no way think bipolar is a superpower, and I think it’s harmful when such lauded people say it is.

Why bipolar disorder is not my superpower

I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder about 25 years ago. At first, it destroyed my psyche. Then, it harmed my university career. After that, it put me in the hospital. Then, it forced me to have surgery to treat it. It ended up terminating my well-paying career, among other things. The list goes on and on.

If it weren't for bipolar disorder, I would have the career I actually got a degree for, I would be able to work a 40-hour week, I wouldn't have lost so many people, and I wouldn't know what it's like to go through electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

Please understand, what has been taken from me has been replaced by other things, but what I have lost is substantial. What I have been through is devastating. Bipolar disorder has taken from me, not given.

Creativity doesn't make it a superpower, either

Now, Blumenthal is known as one of the most creative chefs in the world. This creativity is part of why he is so successful. Some say that those with bipolar disorder tend to be more creative than the average, although this may not be true.²

So maybe he attributes his creativity to bipolar disorder. Maybe that's part of why he calls his neurodivergence a superpower. Indeed, creativity is part of what I do for a living, too.

But, in my experience, having bipolar disorder is like trying to swim with bricks tied to your ankles. Even if bipolar disorder teaches you the backstroke, the bricks are still enough to kill you.

Why famous people shouldn't say that it is

And I think it's a big problem when famous, successful people come out and say that bipolar disorder is a superpower. While I don't discount anyone's experience, that is not the typical experience of people with bipolar disorder. After all, up to 20 percent of people with bipolar disorder die of suicide – does that sound like a superpower anyone would sign up for?³

It would be considerably more helpful if famous, successful people with bipolar disorder came out and advocated for the majority of us with the illness. It would be considerably more helpful if they talked about the predominant reality, even if their extremely privileged lives allow for something else.

This messaging is harmful

I believe saying bipolar disorder is a superpower is harmful. It suggests that those of us with the disease should be more successful. It suggests that the illness is no big deal. It glamorizes something that actually kills people. It removes the impetus people should be feeling to provide adequate care for those with the illness. It absolutely does not help a group of people who are wildly underserved, sidelined, and denied real help.

It's nice that Blumenthal has had such a positive experience, but for every one of him, there are thousands of people with bipolar disorder living on the streets or dead. It's imperative that we remember those people and not the one privileged, successful guy who happens to claim the media spotlight.