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Bipolar affective disorder in EastEnders


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Old 08-07-2015, 18:52
Doctor Bench
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Inspired by the events of the past week between Jean and Stacey, do you think the soap does a good portrayal of manic-depressive illness or do you find it offensive? Whose portrayal do you prefer, if any - Stacey or Jean's?
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Old 08-07-2015, 19:34
TeganRhan
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Inspired by the events of the past week between Jean and Stacey, do you think the soap does a good portrayal of manic-depressive illness or do you find it offensive? Whose portrayal do you prefer, if any - Stacey or Jean's?
Seeing as it effects people in different ways or more the way it's displayed varies from person to person I think both are fine. Mines much more like Stacey's but I do know people who seem a bit "ditzy/mad" like Jean is, I'm not sure why but they tend to be older than me. I did once wonder if it was due to the old medication they were on but I try not to think about it too much.
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Old 08-07-2015, 19:49
_NiallDEE_
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I can't really comment as I'm not a bipolar sufferer myself and do not have much experience with it, but I've seen lots of comments over the past few days about how the portrayal of Jean as a bit of a fruit loop is an unrealistic portrayal of bipolar, which is a bit perplexing as I've always thought the ditzy and more out there aspects of her characters were aspects of her character separate to her bipolar, which are only heightened by the disorder? I don't think EastEnders writers think all bipolar sufferers go around shouting 'sausage surprise,' some viewers may take it that way but I don't think that's the intention.
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Old 08-07-2015, 19:49
Peg ODwyer
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Having no personal experience with this particular disorder, I can't say, but I am tired of them screaming at each other.
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Old 08-07-2015, 20:04
TeganRhan
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I can't really comment as I'm not a bipolar sufferer myself and do not have much experience with it, but I've seen lots of comments over the past few days about how the portrayal of Jean as a bit of a fruit loop is an unrealistic portrayal of bipolar, which is a bit perplexing as I've always thought the ditzy and more out there aspects of her characters were aspects of her character separate to her bipolar, which are only heightened by the disorder? I don't think EastEnders writers think all bipolar sufferers go around shouting 'sausage surprise,' some viewers may take it that way but I don't think that's the intention.
THIS!!

I think she's other character traits magnified by the bi polar like you said OR other issues which are being magnified by it. Plus I can tell you when I'm on a rush I act nothing like I usually am. It's not so much childlike...maybe it is, it's hard to explain...maybe like a kid hyped up on sugar? It actually feels great at the time but the crash after can be brutal.
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Old 08-07-2015, 20:37
xTonix
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I don't know anyone personally who has Bipolar, but I have seen real people on TV with it. and I think EE are doing brilliant with portraying it, and have done right form the start, it helps that Lacey and Gillian are both fantastic actors.
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Old 08-07-2015, 20:59
duckylucky
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As people are individuals they are still individual when living with bibpolar . No two people are allike anyway so no two people with bi polar are alike
I have no idea why anyone would take offence to to how Jean and Stacey are
Jean is a ditsy lady who happens to have bi polar disorder .
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Old 09-07-2015, 11:08
ElleFCee
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I am bipolar ... I don't like or identify with Jean's portrayal ... Stacey is more true to life
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Old 09-07-2015, 12:22
silly sausage
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I am bipolar ... I don't like or identify with Jean's portrayal ... Stacey is more true to life
I agree, I've always felt jean comes across as someone with a learning disability rather than someone with mental health issues.
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Old 09-07-2015, 12:45
Julie_Smith
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As people are individuals they are still individual when living with bibpolar . No two people are allike anyway so no two people with bi polar are alike
I have no idea why anyone would take offence to to how Jean and Stacey are
Jean is a ditsy lady who happens to have bi polar disorder .
what dosent help is when you tell people you have bi polar they assume you act like jean which most people don't.of course different people react in different ways,but if you actually have bi polar like I do you have to do a lot of explaining about the illness,even friends of mine who I told ,say" oh so you act like jean from eastenders?" and I find it quite annoying
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Old 09-07-2015, 13:35
TeganRhan
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Just a thought that occurred to me last night watching the autistic Gardeners. All have autism, yet none of them are the same. You go from one who's almost crippled by his inability to verbally communicate his thoughts and ideas to people to one who's very charismatic to the point I could see him being a TV presenter. It just made me think it was a good example of how different people are who just happen to have the same umbrella mental illness. Sure they've broken down the types of autism each have but it's very much like this topic. As everyone's says just cause you've got BiPolar doesn't mean you'll act like me or I like you. We will share the same traits to various degrees but we're all still very different people.
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Old 09-07-2015, 17:52
little-monster
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I think the portrayal of Jean and Stacey is realistic personally and I have Bipolar as well. I've been told I am similar to jean on a bad day, minus the sausage surprise.
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Old 09-07-2015, 18:26
benbenalen
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I think the portrayal of Jean and Stacey is realistic personally and I have Bipolar as well. I've been told I am similar to jean on a bad day, minus the sausage surprise.
Jean is like it every day though, was she this irritating before? Cannot remember? I think it's her personality lolm
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Old 09-07-2015, 19:32
kitkat1971
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I can't really comment as I'm not a bipolar sufferer myself and do not have much experience with it, but I've seen lots of comments over the past few days about how the portrayal of Jean as a bit of a fruit loop is an unrealistic portrayal of bipolar, which is a bit perplexing as I've always thought the ditzy and more out there aspects of her characters were aspects of her character separate to her bipolar, which are only heightened by the disorder? I don't think EastEnders writers think all bipolar sufferers go around shouting 'sausage surprise,' some viewers may take it that way but I don't think that's the intention.
I absolutely agree with this.

Stacey and Jean behave differently with the same condition because their basic personalities, aside from the bi-polar are different. Jean I think is naturally quite ditzy and 'hyper' - it seems she actually becomes very calm and quiet during relapses such as after Stacey disappeared.

I don't think EE have ever implied that Jean is like that purely because of the Bi-Polar.

The only offensive aspect i've found about the depictions was Stacey using it as a 'get Out of Jail Free' card when it was clearly established that she was taking her meds and in her 'right mind' when she killed Archie.
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Old 09-07-2015, 19:37
kitkat1971
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Just a thought that occurred to me last night watching the autistic Gardeners. All have autism, yet none of them are the same. You go from one who's almost crippled by his inability to verbally communicate his thoughts and ideas to people to one who's very charismatic to the point I could see him being a TV presenter. It just made me think it was a good example of how different people are who just happen to have the same umbrella mental illness. Sure they've broken down the types of autism each have but it's very much like this topic. As everyone's says just cause you've got BiPolar doesn't mean you'll act like me or I like you. We will share the same traits to various degrees but we're all still very different people.
Again, i really agree with this.

There is more to a person than their illness, not every body will behave the same despite having the same condition. Firstly, there are different degrees of sickness and secondly, the person's basic character and personality will still have a bearing on it all.

It's why i never take any notice of "this issue is being done badly because i have this and it isn't how I behave". Everybody is different. To use another example, 2 different women could be raped by the same man but they won't react to the trauma in exactly the same way as they are two different people, already shaped by their personal histories. My brother and i reacted differently to the death of our Mother. And so on.
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Old 09-07-2015, 19:44
TeganRhan
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Again, i really agree with this.

There is more to a person than their illness, not every body will behave the same despite having the same condition. Firstly, there are different degrees of sickness and secondly, the person's basic character and personality will still have a bearing on it all.

It's why i never take any notice of "this issue is being done badly because i have this and it isn't how I behave". Everybody is different. To use another example, 2 different women could be raped by the same man but they won't react to the trauma in exactly the same way as they are two different people, already shaped by their personal histories. My brother and i reacted differently to the death of our Mother. And so on.
high fives
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Old 09-07-2015, 19:52
TeganRhan
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I've an aunt who like me has this but I really struggle around her. The reason being the way she holds her self/ acts / talks is like everything's a great drama then relief? It's hard to explain. It's like if I said "hello" to her her reply would come across like she's waiting for the sky to fall in on us. She's not...it's just how she is. Who she is. According to my father (her brother) before this she was a very quiet reserved child but nothing unusual. Since this though she has changed, it's why to a degree I think it magnifys our lil quirks or underlying issues (shyness for example). I myself am very strong willed and out going, I can be a nightmare when I'm unwell because I'm the most stubborn person going. Never ever seen my aunt react like that. Actually the best way to describe her is Mrs.Buckets neighbour from keeping up appearances...just times ten. Lol
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Old 09-07-2015, 21:04
little-monster
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I absolutely agree with this.

Stacey and Jean behave differently with the same condition because their basic personalities, aside from the bi-polar are different. Jean I think is naturally quite ditzy and 'hyper' - it seems she actually becomes very calm and quiet during relapses such as after Stacey disappeared.

I don't think EE have ever implied that Jean is like that purely because of the Bi-Polar.

The only offensive aspect i've found about the depictions was Stacey using it as a 'get Out of Jail Free' card when it was clearly established that she was taking her meds and in her 'right mind' when she killed Archie
.
I agree. I hated that a lot.
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Old 09-07-2015, 22:05
MissCeltic
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I have Bipolar and I would say my Bipolar is like Stacey's so I would say that it is a very accurate portrayal.

I don't think the way Jean appears is entirely to do with her Bipolar though.
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Old 09-07-2015, 23:38
Keyser_Soze1
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Just a thought that occurred to me last night watching the autistic Gardeners. All have autism, yet none of them are the same. You go from one who's almost crippled by his inability to verbally communicate his thoughts and ideas to people to one who's very charismatic to the point I could see him being a TV presenter. It just made me think it was a good example of how different people are who just happen to have the same umbrella mental illness. Sure they've broken down the types of autism each have but it's very much like this topic. As everyone's says just cause you've got BiPolar doesn't mean you'll act like me or I like you. We will share the same traits to various degrees but we're all still very different people.
Bravo.

For example does everybody who suffers with depression have exactly the same character?

Some people live with it all of their lives but are able to function at a very high level (a famous example being Churchill) others simply cannot cope and tragically commit suicide.

Everybody is different - I fail to see how people are missing this very simple fact.
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Old 10-07-2015, 15:27
_NiallDEE_
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what dosent help is when you tell people you have bi polar they assume you act like jean which most people don't.of course different people react in different ways,but if you actually have bi polar like I do you have to do a lot of explaining about the illness,even friends of mine who I told ,say" oh so you act like jean from eastenders?" and I find it quite annoying
I understand it would be really annoying having people assume having bipolar means you act like Jean, but surely that's a fault of the people who think that rather than the writers? No offence to your friend, but it's a bit stupid to assume everyone who has bipolar would act like Jean, especially when EastEnders have definitely notsuggested that everyone who has bipolar acts like she does - in fact they've made it very clear that it affects people differently by having two people with the disorder respond to it differently, in the case of Stacey and Jean.
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