Jenifer Lewis on Bipolar Disorder

By Angela Bronner, BlackVoices.com

The indomitable Jenifer Lewis –one for whom the word diva is made -- has been a formidable force in the world of drama and song for almost 30 years.

Lewis currently tears up the stage of the Broadway production of 'Hairspray' as Motormouth Maybelle, mother of Seaweed J. Stubbs, played by singer Tevin Campbell. Her ovation at the end is always one of the longest.

Here, Lewis opens up about a very real, very pervasive issue in our country: bi polar disorder (formerly manic depression.) Lewis, who created a one woman show about the illness – "Bipolar, Bath and Beyond" -- shares with us her Testimony.

Can you explain what bi-polar is?

Bi-polar is a mood disorder, where people will experience extreme highs and extreme lows including anger all the time, irritability and reckless behavior. It's very serious to control that manic behavior. People who need drama in their lives all the time, you know complaining and coming in a room loud, and inappropriate.

Self medicating to hide feelings. Yet the other piece is very important also -- it's the dark hours that people spend in bed. Getting too much sleep, not enough sleep, complete and utter depression and taking sometimes weeks, sometimes months to come out of these episodes.

So when did you first notice that something may be amiss, that you were maybe a little different than other people?

Well Angela, kinda like when I was a kid you know? I pretty much cried myself to sleep every night of my youth. I was diagnosed with this disease in the early '90s but it took my therapist about 4 or 5 years to convince me to medicate myself. So it was very difficult for her to even get inside of me to understand that there was something wrong, because being in show business, that edge, that manic behavior -- you feel you need it to function. But yes I knew, I always knew that something was wrong basically because of the depression.

How are you managing it?

I've been on medication now for I think about 12 years and that's why I feel experienced enough to speak about it now. I'm not pushing a certain medication. I'm pushing treatment because only your health care provider can work with you for your specific treatment. We're all different you see, and the one thing I want to stress about getting your individual treatment from your healthcare provider is when you get it, to stick to it. This is a life long journey. So we all have to take care of ourselves, you see. There is a site you can go to called, Bridge to a Brighter Tomorrow. And there you get information about the tools and the questions you can take to your doctor and ask. You know, explain what your symptoms are and you can get information. I recommend that, highly.

And how has this affected your family or loved ones, those close to you?

Well, [sigh] I'll be very honest with you, depression and manic behavior affects everyone around you. It affects your relationships, your children, you lovers, your husband, your mother and father. There are so many people that are affected by this – I knew a family of doctors and lawyers, a beautiful family and they had that one sister that was bi-polar and kept the family pretty much hostage to her reckless behavior. So she was the one sibling who would not take her meds. She would get on them, get off them and it's very dangerous to your health.

Black Stars on Broadway

Black Stars Light Up The Great White Way
'American Idol' Season 1 finalist Tamyra Gray blazed a new trail on Broadway when she revamped the look of lead character Mimi, a drug addicted HIV positive spitfire in the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning musical 'Rent.' It wasn't the first time around the track for the former Georgia pageant queen; she previously starred in the Indian inspired outing, 'Bombay Dreams.'

Black Stars Light Up The Great White Way
Academy Award winning film veteran Morgan Freeman made a return to The Great White Way in April 2008. The last time the 'Million Dollar Baby' actor appeared on the Broadway stage before: 1988's 'The Gospel at Colonus.' As Frank Elgin, the Memphis native took on a roll traditionally played by a white actor in the Mike Nichols-directed revival.

Black Stars Light Up The Great White Way
Hip-hop superstar Sean "Diddy" Combs won rave reviews as Walter Lee Younger in the 2002 revival of the classic play 'A Raisin in the Sun.'

Black Stars Light Up The Great White Way
Sexy 'Soul Food' star Boris Kodjoe stepped up his acting game by filling in for Terrence Howard during a break in production of the sell-out, all-black version of Tennessee Williams' play 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.' Though it was only two weeks, the former fashion model turned pin-up hunk received high marks for taking on the lead role as sexually tormented jock, Brick. He held his own alongside Tony Award winning thespians James Earl Jones, Phylicia Rashad and Anika Noni Rose.

Black Stars Light Up The Great White Way
'Law & Order' powerhouse S. Epatha Merkerson returned to her theater roots with her critically acclaimed turn in 'Bye, Bye Birdie.'

Black Stars Light Up The Great White Way
In 2007, Grammy Award winning diva Chaka Khan made her Broadway debut in the Oprah Winfrey-produced musical 'A Color Purple.'

Black Stars Light Up The Great White Way
Known as a scene-stealer in films such as 'What's Love Got to Do With It?' and 'Meet The Browns,' Kinloch, Missouri born powerhouse Jenifer Lewis returned to her Broadway roots with a starring role in the Tony Award winning best musical 'Hairspray.' The 'Jackie's Back' star was originally tapped to play the role of Motormouth Maybelle in the original workshop of the Jon Waters-inspired tour-de-force. But because of legal obligations with her role in the Lifetime series 'Strong Medicine,' she couldn't open the show. Now, in between major projects, she's taken on the role and is wowing sold out crowds.

Black Stars Light Up The Great White Way
Ousted 'American Idol' finalist Frenchie Davis got a career boost when she wowed sell-out crowds in Broadway's long-running musical 'Rent.'

Black Stars Light Up The Great White Way
For his Broadway debut, multi-platinum selling R&B superstar Usher Raymond had audience members wrapped around the block for autographs. In 2006, the 'Confessions' singer brought a new meaning to what was known as "usher" on Broadway with his razzle dazzle of a performance as lawyer Billy Flynn in 'Chicago.'

Black Stars Light Up The Great White Way
In 2004, TV star Wayne Brady made a splash on Broadway playing legal eagle Billy Flynn in the hit musical 'Chicago.'

When did you know that you needed help? When did you hit that brick wall?

I hit the brick wall when I lost two very close people in my life, two days apart and my grief overwhelmed me. And with that I knew I needed help. Once again I didn't want to stay in that dark, dark place.

Did someone tell you that you might need help?

See when you're manic, you're not listening. This is a chemical imbalance in the brain so you're not listening. You're not level enough to even hear people to tell you---and you know in my case being a comedian, I would just laugh it off, anything to deny that I was sick. And I don't really want to use that word but, it's a real disease.

Did you use self medication?

Most definitely, most definitely. I drank heavily in my youth and college and all that trying to just kill the feelings that were so extreme.

I know you did your stand up act "Bi-polar Bath and Beyond." Why do you choose humor and art to speak about this? Is it easier?

Most definitely. Well when I wrote "Bi-polar Bath and Beyond" I had sort of been asked to do this show at the Gay and Lesbian Center in Los Angeles and I raised $50,000 for the homeless children. And as I was doing the show I realized how really important it was. I simply wrote it because it's what I do. But when a girl came from Jet magazine and told me she had a sister that was bi-polar and she was a big fan of mine, and she read that I had the same disease that she had she was encouraged to stay on her medication and with that, one of the Oprah editors read the Jet magazine and asked me to come on and then of course I was able to relate to 60 million people that this disease, bi-polar, is manageable and treatable.

What do you think the most important thing a family member can do for someone they love who might be suffering from this?

Most definitely, the important thing is to let them know because a lot of bi-polar people don't know, they're just running amuck, they're in denial mostly, and you have to be real and see those warning signs and if you love somebody help them. Get them informed, tell them to go to the site....offer to go with them to a doctor's visit. It can be scary but the first step with any addiction, disease or sickness is to acknowledge that you have it.

So you're able to work now?

Girl I've done 60 films and 120 television shows, I'm doing alright. I adopted a little girl and she's in her third year of college. Life is good. I'm doing very well mainly because I stay on my meds and I have therapy once a week and I take care of myself. God is great.

Are you currently in 'Hairspray' now?

I certainly am, I want everyone to come to New York and see me on Broadway. I'm good darling, I bring down the house.

Anything else for our readers?

Just tell them, life is beautiful it really is. I know it sounds naïve but I'm very grateful and humbled by my success. And the reason I have my success -- which is very rare, mind you, but the reason I have my success is because I take care of myself. I went to a doctor, and I got on the medication and I stay in therapy.

Mental Health & African-American Health

May is Mental Health awareness month. Mental health in the Black community is an issue that is often ignored because:

There is a stigma in the Black community
The mental health establishment often mistreats blacks
Both

Terrie Williams, a high-powered publicist who has serviced Janet Jackson, wrote of her depressive breakdown in the book 'Black Pain.' At what rate do black women suffer from depression as compared to white women?

At the same rate
Twice the rate
Five times the rate

In addition to depression, African-American are more likely to suffer from certain psychological disorders particular to our community, such as:

Bipolar disorder
Schizophrenia
Phobias

Getting treatment for mental health is important, as suicide is the worse result of attempting to live with an untreated illness. How high is the rate of suicide for young black men versus young white men?

It's higher for black men
It's the same
It's higher for white men

In addition, black Americans are often exposed to stressors that lead to higher incidences of untreated, more severe mental health problems, such as:

Post-traumatic stress disorder
Job loss
Social prejudice

With the many issues our community faces, reducing resistance to psychological treatment is of critical importance. Anti-depressant drugs may help in healing by:

Numbing the pain of depression
Restoring neurochemical balances in the brain
Do they help?

What role can the black church play in mental health treatment?

A purely positive role
It's a mixed blessing
There is no role for the church in mental health treatment

Therapy through professional services are important for blacks seeking mental health treatment. Yet, aside from fears and stigmas, many blacks do not receive effective professional treatment because:

They don't have health insurance
The medical establishment misdiagnoses African-Americans
Both of these answers, and more

The good news is:

There is no good news
Black people recover at rates equal to whites with effective treatment

Mental health is an issue in our community that deserves attention and solutions. For psychological issues for ourselves and others, it is important to:

Ignore the signals
Create a proper treatment plan
Wallow away in despair

HOT ON HUFFPOST BLACKVOICES:

Categories

Contributors

Other BV Blogs