8 Famous Women With Bipolar Disorder Who Have Shared Their Stories

When people think about famous women with bipolar disorder, they might immediately think of singers or Hollywood celebrities. The celebrities with bipolar disorder that everyone knows about. But bipolar disorder affects women from all walks of life, including Olympic athletes, bestselling authors, respected scientists, journalists, and mental health advocates.

And I wanted to give them space too.

Bipolar disorder doesn’t have one face. It doesn’t care how successful you are, how intelligent you are, or how put-together your life looks from the outside. Someone can build an incredible career, contribute to their community, raise a family, and still experience the challenges and true shitfest that is living with a mental health condition.

When women speak openly about their bipolar disorder diagnosis, they can help challenge stereotypes and remind others that they’re not alone. It helps us to feel connected and a part of something. You are not fighting alone.

This list highlights 8 famous women with bipolar disorder who are known for their work outside of acting. Note: These are individual stories, not templates for what bipolar disorder looks like. This article focuses on women whose experiences have been publicly discussed or reliably documented. It does not attempt to diagnose anyone. Links to purchase memoirs are affiliate links which means that should you purchase, my blog may earn a slight commission at no additional cost to you.

1. Kay Redfield Jamison — Psychologist and bestselling author

Best known for: An Unquiet Mind, bipolar disorder research, and her work at Johns Hopkins University.

Kay Redfield Jamison is a clinical psychologist, professor, and internationally recognized author who has written openly about living with bipolar disorder. What makes her story particularly distinctive is that she has experienced the condition personally while also studying it professionally. Her memoir, An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness, explores her experience of bipolar illness and the complicated process of accepting treatment.

Jamison’s work has helped readers understand bipolar disorder beyond clinical definitions. She has also contributed significantly to research and education about mood disorders. Her story is a reminder that a diagnosis doesn’t erase someone’s expertise, achievements, or ability to make a meaningful contribution to the world.

2. Jane Pauley — Journalist and television broadcaster

Known for: Today, Dateline NBC, and CBS Sunday Morning.

Jane Pauley is a respected American journalist who publicly discussed her bipolar disorder diagnosis in her memoir, Skywriting: A Life Out of the Blue. Pauley was diagnosed in 2001, around the age of 50. In interviews, she explained that she had experienced depression while continuing to work, illustrating how mental health difficulties can exist even when someone appears to be functioning well professionally.

She has also spoken about treatment and the importance of taking care of her health. Her experience challenges the assumption that someone who seems calm, capable, or successful couldn’t be struggling internally.

3. Chamique Holdsclaw — Olympic basketball player and mental health advocate

Known for: Professional basketball, an Olympic gold medal, and mental health advocacy.

Chamique Holdsclaw is a former WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist who has spoken publicly about living with bipolar II disorder. Holdsclaw has discussed the difficulties she experienced during her basketball career and how receiving appropriate treatment helped improve her quality of life. She has also worked to challenge the stigma that can prevent athletes from discussing mental health struggles.

Her story is especially important because professional athletes are often expected to be physically and mentally tough at all times. That expectation can make it harder to admit when something is wrong.

4. Kate Nye — Olympic weightlifter

Known for: Olympic weightlifting and an Olympic silver medal.

Kate Nye, also known as Katherine Nye, is an American weightlifter who publicly shared her bipolar II disorder diagnosis during her journey toward Olympic competition. In a first-person account for ESPN, Nye described experiencing depressive and hypomanic periods before receiving her diagnosis. She explained how understanding what was happening helped her seek support and make sense of her experiences.

Her story brings visibility to mental health in elite sports, where demanding training schedules and competitive pressure can make personal challenges particularly difficult to navigate.

5. Suzy Favor Hamilton — Olympic runner and author

Known for: Middle-distance running, three Olympic appearances, and the memoir Fast Girl.

Suzy Favor Hamilton is a former American middle-distance runner who has publicly discussed bipolar disorder and its effects on her life.

In her memoir, Fast Girl: A Life Spent Running from Madness, she explored her experiences with mood episodes, diagnosis, and the challenges of understanding her mental health. Her story highlights the fact that bipolar disorder can affect judgment, relationships, and everyday decisions in ways that may not be obvious to other people.

She has also spoken about the complicated process of recovery and rebuilding her life.

Read more: The Bipolar Biography Project — Suzy Favor Hamilton, which links to interviews and other sources documenting her experience.

6. Hope Jahren — Scientist and author

Known for: Plant biology, scientific research, and the bestselling memoir Lab Girl.

Hope Jahren is a geobiologist and award-winning author whose work has helped make science accessible to a broad audience. Jahren has discussed her experience with bipolar disorder in public conversations about her life and career. Her story offers a perspective that is different from the entertainment-focused stories people often encounter when searching for famous people with mental health conditions.

Her work also challenges assumptions about who experiences bipolar disorder. Mental health conditions affect people in scientific, academic, and professional environments just as they do in other fields.

7. Margaret Trudeau — Author and mental health advocate

Known for: Writing, public speaking, and mental health advocacy in Canada.

Margaret Trudeau is a Canadian author and advocate who has spoken publicly about her experience with bipolar disorder for many years.

In her memoir Changing My Mind, she wrote about her mental health journey and the challenges of navigating life in the public eye.

Her willingness to talk about mental illness has helped bring attention to mental health in Canada and encouraged conversations about treatment, stigma, and support. Her experience also highlights how difficult it can be to separate a person’s private struggles from public expectations when their life has been widely scrutinized.

Read more: The Bipolar Biography Project — Margaret Trudeau, which documents her public experience and advocacy.

8. Bassey Ikpi — Writer, poet, and mental health advocate

Known for: Her memoir I’m Telling the Truth, but I’m Lying and her mental health advocacy.

Bassey Ikpi is a Nigerian-American writer and poet who has spoken about living with bipolar II disorder. Her memoir explores the complicated relationship between mental health, identity, culture, and the experience of trying to explain what is happening internally when other people cannot see it. Ikpi’s writing can be particularly meaningful for people who feel misunderstood or struggle to put their experiences into words.

Her story also adds an important perspective to discussions about mental health and the cultural pressures that can influence how people understand and talk about their experiences.

Final thoughts

The stories of famous women with bipolar disorder show that mental health challenges can affect people across professions and backgrounds.

Some are athletes. Some are scientists. Some are writers, journalists, and advocates. Their experiences are different, and no one person’s story can represent everyone living with bipolar disorder.

But each honest conversation can help challenge stigma and make it easier for someone else to seek information or support.

If you live with bipolar disorder, you don’t have to become famous, achieve something extraordinary, or turn your experience into an inspirational story to deserve compassion.

You deserve understanding simply because you’re human.

This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.