“I can't stand this living all alone. I can't stand this living all alone. I don't want to be, I don't want to be alone.”
By the time Phyllis Hyman sang this lyric of her hit song Living All Alone, the singer was at the top of her game. She’d already landed at the top of the Billboard charts, garnered a loyal following, and was approaching worldwide acclaim.
But alas, fans realized her lyrics rang truer than they realized when nine years later, she was found dead by suicide just hours before she was due for a performance at the Apollo Theater.
Nearly two decades after her 1995 death, pervasive rumors still imply that Phyllis Hyman overdosed on sleeping pills because of a failed love life. But, it’s become clear over time that it was much more complicated than that.
The statuesque singer long suffered from drug and food addictions as well as alcoholism. Phyllis Hyman had entered drug rehabilitation facilities a couple of times, but couldn't stay clean for long. At the time of her death, her weight had ballooned to more than 300 pounds and she was experiencing financial difficulties.
At the crux of her issues was a bipolar disorder, to which she received a diagnosis 10 years earlier, ironically just a year before the release "Living All Alone". Though she sought therapy and was prescribed medication it was just too much for her to manage.
Her suicide note read, “I'm tired. I'm tired. Those of you that I love know who you are. May God bless you.”
Much like the singer herself, bipolar disorder is still largely misunderstood and often misdiagnosed.
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What is bipolar disorder?
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, bipolar disorder (formerly called manic-depressive illness or manic depression) is a mental disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, concentration, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks.
There are three types of bipolar disorder. All three types involve clear changes in mood, energy, and activity levels. These moods range from periods of extremely “up,” elated, irritable, or energized behavior (known as manic episodes) to very “down,” sad, indifferent, or hopeless periods (known as depressive episodes). Less severe manic periods are known as hypomanic episodes.
Bipolar I Disorder— defined by manic episodes that last at least 7 days, or by manic symptoms that are so severe that the person needs immediate hospital care. Usually, depressive episodes occur as well, typically lasting at least 2 weeks. Episodes of depression with mixed features (having depressive symptoms and manic symptoms at the same time) are also possible.
Bipolar II Disorder— defined by a pattern of depressive episodes and hypomanic episodes, but not the full-blown manic episodes that are typical of Bipolar I Disorder.
Cyclothymic Disorder (also called Cyclothymia)— defined by periods of hypomanic symptoms as well as periods of depressive symptoms lasting for at least 2 years (1 year in children and adolescents). However, the symptoms do not meet the diagnostic requirements for a hypomanic episode and a depressive episode.
Sometimes a person might experience symptoms of bipolar disorder that do not match the three categories listed above, which is referred to as “other specified and unspecified bipolar and related disorders.”
Bipolar disorder is typically diagnosed during late adolescence (teen years) or early adulthood. Occasionally, bipolar symptoms can appear in children. Bipolar disorder can also first appear during a woman’s pregnancy or following childbirth. Although the symptoms may vary over time, bipolar disorder usually requires lifelong treatment. Following a prescribed treatment plan can help people manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life.
What are the signs?
Bipolar disorder may show up as unusually intense emotions, changes in sleep patterns, unstable activity levels, and uncharacteristic behavior without any knowledge of the level of harm they can cause, which are called “mood episodes.” Mood episodes are different from how the person usually acts. During an episode, the symptoms last every day for most of the day. Episodes may also last for longer periods, such as several days or weeks.
What treatments are available?
As bipolar disorder is a lifelong illness, it cannot be cured but it can be effectively managed. A mix of psychotherapy and medication can help manage the disorder. Episodes of mania and depression typically come back from time to time. When not experiencing episodes, many people with bipolar disorder are fairly steady but some people may have lingering symptoms. Long-term can help people treat these symptoms.
BDO’s Black History of Health series is designed to show the correlation between the health of historical black figures and Black Americans today. Many of the health disparities we currently experience have been in our community for centuries. This series is meant to bring these conditions to the forefront and provide blacks with preventative and management steps to reduce these disparities and improve the overall health of the Black American community. It’s time to change the narrative.
