Catherine Zeta Jones is in her early 40s and just figured out she's bipolar, bipolar II to be exact.

Did she suffer even before going public or did her illness develop just the past year or so?

Bipolarity can manifest at any age, so can major depression.  There is such a thing as adult-onset schizophrenia.  These mental illnesses tend to start in a person's teens or twenties, but sometimes they emerge at later ages.  Alzheimer's and dementia can develop earlier than one would expect, early sixties, fifties, late forties is extremely rare but not unheard of.  

I know one 48-year-old woman who has developed delusional symptoms after the death of her husband.  She channels him spiritually and fills notebooks up with the angel's messages.  The angel is her late husband who bears messages of life in the celestial sphere and dire predictions of what is to come in our earthly sphere.  There is a plan for each one of us...but I shall go no further.  Suffice to say, she has a cohesive narrative of her channeled world.  She believes it is real, but she shares the experience with but a few because she understands most people will not only think she made the whole thing up, but that she is stark-raving crazy to boot.  

Bipolarity can manifest at any age, so can major depression.  There is such a thing as adult-onset schizophrenia.  These mental illnesses tend to start in a person's teens or twenties, but sometimes they emerge at later ages.  Alzheimer's and dementia can develop earlier than one would expect, early sixties, fifties, late forties is extremely rare but not unheard of.  

I know one 48-year-old woman who has developed delusional symptoms after the death of her husband.  She channels him spiritually and fills notebooks up with the angel's messages.  The angel is her late husband who bears messages of life in the celestial sphere and dire predictions of what is to come in our earthly sphere.  There is a plan for each one of us...but I shall go no further.  Suffice to say, she has a cohesive narrative of her channeled world.  She believes it is real, but she shares the experience with but a few because she understands most people will not only think she made the whole thing up, but that she is stark-raving crazy to boot.  


Wow, I learned something new today. I didn't know mental illness could begin so late in life! You hear a lot about 18 year olds being diagnosed with bipolar, schizophrenia, depression, etc, etc.
But you rarely, actually almost never, hear anyone over 40 (like Catherine Zeta Jones) have it begin at that age or older.

Of course it can start later in life I was diagnosed with OCD in my early 20's.

Of course it can start later in life I was diagnosed with OCD in my early 20's.


That's not exactly later in life.  20 is still pretty young, considering it's not THAT long after puberty has ended.  I think the point was can mental illness be discovered new in people in their early 40s, 50s or older that previously were not diagnosed with anything.

I think that sometimes mental illness can get worse over the years, that symptoms may have been attributed to things like "teenage moodiness" or "work-related stress" when the person was younger and could perhaps deal with or even hide illness from others.

Also illness in certain personalities can just flat out be denied if the person is confronted with evidence, in hopes of getting them help.  "There's nothing wrong with me, YOU are the one with the problem"  yeah, fun times.  :-\\ :-X

Of course it can start later in life I was diagnosed with OCD in my early 20's.


Yeah Howard, your early twenties is pretty young.

That's not exactly later in life.  20 is still pretty young, considering it's not THAT long after puberty has ended.  I think the point was can mental illness be discovered new in people in their early 40s, 50s or older that previously were not diagnosed with anything.

I think that sometimes mental illness can get worse over the years, that symptoms may have been attributed to things like "teenage moodiness" or "work-related stress" when the person was younger and could perhaps deal with or even hide illness from others.

Also illness in certain personalities can just flat out be denied if the person is confronted with evidence, in hopes of getting them help.  "There's nothing wrong with me, YOU are the one with the problem"  yeah, fun times.  :-\\ :-X


You have a point. Sometimes a person is hiding/denying the illness until they're older, like 30 or 40, so it SEEMS like they developed it later, but the truth is they've had it all along.

Plus, you don't know what happens behind celebrities' closed doors. They are trying to keep an image and they may keep it hidden their struggles with their illness or that it affected them when they were young!

One thing that could contribute to a woman that develops these illnesses/conditions later in life is menopause. Hormones wreak havoc on a woman (I should know) that can cause depression, moodiness, and other "wonderful" things.  ::) 

I wonder if there has been a study that connects the two?



Cat

One thing that could contribute to a woman that develops these illnesses/conditions later in life is menopause. Hormones wreak havoc on a woman (I should know) that can cause depression, moodiness, and other "wonderful" things.  ::) 

I wonder if there has been a study that connects the two?



Cat


I wouldn't be surprised if the 2 (mental illness and menopause) are connected to each other later in life!

My uncle ended up in a mental hospital for a short while when he was in his 40's.  He lost his job, his wife left him and he became very depressed.  To my knowledge he had never previously had any symptoms of depression.

My uncle ended up in a mental hospital for a short while when he was in his 40's.  He lost his job, his wife left him and he became very depressed.  To my knowledge he had never previously had any symptoms of depression.




Is the depression gone forever or is he going to have to deal with it from then on?

Is the depression gone forever or is he going to have to deal with it from then on?


Some people suffer a short spell of crippling depression as a result of stress.  Karen's uncle lost his job and his wife in one go.  That would make anybody depressed.  A lot of people mild depression manage life well but are prone to falling apart under stress. 

Yeah Howard, your early twenties is pretty young.




That was when my OCD kicked in then I need a therapist and needed medication,took that for about 6 years and stopped in 1999 after that I felt well.

That was when my OCD kicked in then I need a therapist and needed medication,took that for about 6 years and stopped in 1999 after that I felt well.


That's great that you don't need your medication anymore!

Some people suffer a short spell of crippling depression as a result of stress.  Karen's uncle lost his job and his wife in one go.  That would make anybody depressed.  A lot of people mild depression manage life well but are prone to falling apart under stress. 


Yeah, my mother suffered from situational depression in the 70s and 80s when our family was poor. By the mid-90s we were better off and she just didn't need the medication anymore.

That's great that you don't need your medication anymore!



after 12 years I'm feeling a little better just not as much as it used to be.

Is the depression gone forever or is he going to have to deal with it from then on?



Some people suffer a short spell of crippling depression as a result of stress.  Karen's uncle lost his job and his wife in one go.  That would make anybody depressed.  A lot of people mild depression manage life well but are prone to falling apart under stress. 


That's exactly what happened.  He was ill for a while but then recovered.

That's exactly what happened.  He was ill for a while but then recovered.


Yay!! He recovered!  :)

I was not diagnosed until my late 30's (BPII, anxiety, ADHD).  Looking back over my life, I guess I can see symptoms going back to my teens, but I'm not sure if they actually were symptoms or if I'm just trying to validate the diagnosis ???  I don't really question the diagnosis, because I definitely DO have the symptoms NOW, I just wonder if my life would have been different if I had been diagnosed earlier (or if I even WOULD have been diagnosed earlier in life).  My middle son has also been dx'ed with BPII & ADHD and there's a family history of "mental issues" (although, "back in the day", my grandmother was diagnosed with "nerves") so I know there's definitely a genetic component to it :(

I was not diagnosed until my late 30's (BPII, anxiety, ADHD).  Looking back over my life, I guess I can see symptoms going back to my teens, but I'm not sure if they actually were symptoms or if I'm just trying to validate the diagnosis ???  I don't really question the diagnosis, because I definitely DO have the symptoms NOW, I just wonder if my life would have been different if I had been diagnosed earlier (or if I even WOULD have been diagnosed earlier in life).  My middle son has also been dx'ed with BPII & ADHD and there's a family history of "mental issues" (although, "back in the day", my grandmother was diagnosed with "nerves") so I know there's definitely a genetic component to it :(


I think that if you had symptoms of it when you were younger you would know. Cause I suffer from depression and I could tell there were symptoms of it as early as when I was 4!

How do I know? I guess it's my instincts or intuition as they call it.

I didn't go get help until I was 20 and by 21 was diagnosed.

Although it's still not "too old", I've read that some of the women that have babies later in life (mid 30s/early 40s) often have postpartum depression.

Also, sometimes, as an adult, some people recall childhood abuse (whether it be sexual or emotional) that they may have put out of their minds in order to cope.  That results in anxiety or depression or a whole host of emotional problems.

I think that if you had symptoms of it when you were younger you would know. Cause I suffer from depression and I could tell there were symptoms of it as early as when I was 4!

How do I know? I guess it's my instincts or intuition as they call it.

I didn't go get help until I was 20 and by 21 was diagnosed.
I guess I wasn't very clear...there are some things that are unequivocably symptoms, but other things that aren't as cut and dried...a LOT of it has to do with my upbringing. I won't go into details, because it's a LONG story, but let's just say that I STILL struggle daily with issues that stem from my childhood...

I guess I wasn't very clear...there are some things that are unequivocably symptoms, but other things that aren't as cut and dried...a LOT of it has to do with my upbringing. I won't go into details, because it's a LONG story, but let's just say that I STILL struggle daily with issues that stem from my childhood...


Oh I see now.

Yeah I know what you mean. I could tell a lot of the things in my childhood/teen years had to do with my depression. BUT there were a lot of things that had a shade of gray. It could've been I had a bad week and felt sad and it had nothing to do with my depression or it could've been a mix of both my depression and the situation I was going through. Or it could've been things from my childhood that affected me as a teenager then or a young adult as well!

Oh I see now.

Yeah I know what you mean. I could tell a lot of the things in my childhood/teen years had to do with my depression. BUT there were a lot of things that had a shade of gray. It could've been I had a bad week and felt sad and it had nothing to do with my depression or it could've been a mix of both my depression and the situation I was going through. Or it could've been things from my childhood that affected me as a teenager then or a young adult as well!


Exactly! I was finally diagnosed a few months after my parents died, and the initial diagnosis was "cyclothymia, depression, and anxiety".  At first, I was like, "Well, DUH!  Of course I'm depressed & have anxiety...I just lost BOTH my parents within 7 weeks of each other, STILL managed to complete the semester in college, am taking care of BOTH their estates single-handedly, AND taking care of my OWN family!"  The more I thought about it, the more I realized it wasn't purely situational...


Another thing I question is my past bouts of insomnia....I used to have bouts of insomnia that would last anywhere from a week to a month.  During these, most nights, I would only get 3-5 hours of sleep (sometimes less), and be perfectly fine the next day. And, it wasn't like I was lying in bed, flopping back and forth trying to get to sleep, I'd be WIDE awake, scrubbing floors, painting rooms, even putting up Christmas decorations OUTSIDE!  Part of me wonders if these were just insomnia or if they were actually hypomanic episodes related to the BPII ???

Yes.

I'm here, ain't I?

Yes.

I'm here, ain't I?


:D

Sadly, yes.
My mom just began to experience altzheimer's. She can't remember her address, my birthdate, my sister's or brother's birthdate.  Someone who was once an absolute pillar in my life has been reduced to what she is now.

Sadly, yes.
My mom just began to experience altzheimer's. She can't remember her address, my birthdate, my sister's or brother's birthdate.  Someone who was once an absolute pillar in my life has been reduced to what she is now.


I am so sorry to hear this. {{{hugs}}}

Sadly, yes.
My mom just began to experience altzheimer's. She can't remember her address, my birthdate, my sister's or brother's birthdate.  Someone who was once an absolute pillar in my life has been reduced to what she is now.


Whoa, that must be overwhelming. ((((King Tut))))

I am so sorry to hear this. {{{hugs}}}



Whoa, that must be overwhelming. ((((King Tut))))

Thanks to both of you. I guess many of the solid members here have someone in their close circle who have experienced altheimers.  Life sucks sometimes.

Sadly, yes.
My mom just began to experience altzheimer's. She can't remember her address, my birthdate, my sister's or brother's birthdate.  Someone who was once an absolute pillar in my life has been reduced to what she is now.


Sorry to hear about your Mother,Tut,hope things can get better soon.

Catherine Zeta Jones is in her early 40s and just figured out she's bipolar, bipolar II to be exact.

Did she suffer even before going public or did her illness develop just the past year or so?


There are the obvious illnesses like dementia and Alzheimers that often occur during old age. I think there are some people who 'acquire' mental illness (post traumatic stress disorder being an example?) and some people could be diagnosed later on in life who may have had the illness for many years.

Sorry to hear about your Mother,Tut,hope things can get better soon.


Unfortunately Alzheimer's doesn't get better.  It's degenerative.  There are drugs that can treat some of the symptoms, but medical science has not yet found a way to reverse the process.

It is very trying for families.

Unfortunately Alzheimer's doesn't get better.  It's degenerative.  There are drugs that can treat some of the symptoms, but medical science has not yet found a way to reverse the process.

It is very trying for families.


It's frustrating as hell I bet.  ::)

And it's a bit overwhelming to see someone transform from such great health until they're not so great.  :-\\

Unfortunately Alzheimer's doesn't get better.  It's degenerative.  There are drugs that can treat some of the symptoms, but medical science has not yet found a way to reverse the process.

It is very trying for families.

My mom's not on any medication yet. Firstly, she doesn't want to. Secondly, her family doctor isn't sure how advanced she is regarding her Alzheimer's. My brother and I (mostly him) have been pressing the doctor to take action.

My mom's not on any medication yet. Firstly, she doesn't want to. Secondly, her family doctor isn't sure how advanced she is regarding her Alzheimer's. My brother and I (mostly him) have been pressing the doctor to take action.


I hope you seek out as much support as you can.  You're certainly not alone in the struggle to care for a parent with Alzheimer's or dementia. 

If my Dad starts to go around the bend, it's going to difficult to guess whether he's got dementia or whether he's just the same cantankerous, unreasonable, forgetful, foul-mouthed old Dad he's been since he was 35!
::)

My mom's not on any medication yet. Firstly, she doesn't want to. Secondly, her family doctor isn't sure how advanced she is regarding her Alzheimer's. My brother and I (mostly him) have been pressing the doctor to take action.


My dad has some form of dementia and my doc put him on arisept, one of 2 dementia drugs.  It seems to be helping (See When parents/families fail thread)

I hope you seek out as much support as you can.  You're certainly not alone in the struggle to care for a parent with Alzheimer's or dementia. 

If my Dad starts to go around the bend, it's going to difficult to guess whether he's got dementia or whether he's just the same cantankerous, unreasonable, forgetful, foul-mouthed old Dad he's been since he was 35!
::)

With so many baby boomers living longer and longer, I'm fairly certain there's been a significant increase for people getting  alzheimer's or dementia ( I haven't checked the stats though)
My dad didn't live long enough to get alzheimer's nor dementia, but no one might have noticed if he did. Cantankerous, unreasonable, forgetful are suitable adjectives to describe my dad. Abusive, unpredictable are others.


My dad has some form of dementia and my doc put him on arisept, one of 2 dementia drugs.  It seems to be helping (See When parents/families fail thread)


I'm glad your doctor convinced your dad to take the necessary medication. I'm unsure my mom is even acknowledging what she has.  I hope we don't have the go the POA route in convincing her to begin taking pills. Only time will tell.

I'm glad your doctor convinced your dad to take the necessary medication. I'm unsure my mom is even acknowledging what she has.  I hope we don't have the go the POA route in convincing her to begin taking pills. Only time will tell.


He doesn't know what the drug is for.  He is already taking drugs for other stuff, so this is just one more

He doesn't know what the drug is for.  He is already taking drugs for other stuff, so this is just one more


My father-in-law is on arisept also and like your father he doesn't know what it's for.  Actually he believes it's to control the shaking and drooling caused by another one of his pills.  :-\\

He doesn't know what the drug is for.  He is already taking drugs for other stuff, so this is just one more


My father-in-law is on arisept also and like your father he doesn't know what it's for.  Actually he believes it's to control the shaking and drooling caused by another one of his pills.  :-\\

Sometimes ignorance is bliss.

Insanitary is hereditary.  You get it from your kids.

Insanitary is hereditary.  You get it from your kids.

My wish then is that I have lost of grandkids.

My wish then is that I have lost of grandkids.
Lost of grandkids??? :D

Lost of grandkids??? :D

haha, this is what happens when you perform a spell check and the word you typed incorrectly...happens to be another word.

"A dyslexic man walks into a bra"...

My wish then is that I have lots of grand kids.
fixed.  ;D

haha, this is what happens when you perform a spell check and the word you typed incorrectly...happens to be another word.

"A dyslexic man walks into a bra"...

My wish then is that I have lots of grand kids.
fixed.  ;D



I have LOTS of grand kids-but never had any kids.  :o :o  ???




Cat

haha, this is what happens when you perform a spell check and the word you typed incorrectly...happens to be another word.

"A dyslexic man walks into a bra"...

My wish then is that I have lots of grand kids.
fixed.  ;D


I wish my parents could become grandparents,problem is I haven't had much luck with women and I've only went out with 2 within the time frame of 1997-2008.