Australian actress Jessica Marais has opened up about her battle with bipolar disorder.
The Love Child actress told the June issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly she has struggled with the disorder ever since she was a teenager.
“I was diagnosed at one point with bipolar,” Jessica, 29, says.
“I have developed ways to talk myself down from any ledges I find myself on. And I am very lucky that I have a very patient partner who supports me.
“I just think it’s important to talk about depression. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. And the more we talk about it as a community, the more we remove the stigma.”
In the interview, Jessica talks about what sparked the disorder, remembering the day her father died in front of her from a heart attack when she was just 12-years-old.
Jessica says her own child, two-year-old daughter Scout, and her partner Packed to the Rafters co-star James Stewart, have helped her to deal with the disorder.
She says James is her rock, while Scout gives her something important to focus on in her life.
“My bipolar is actually very manageable,” she says.
“And having a child to pull me out of it has made all the difference in the world.”
Jessica’s next project will be playing ’60s entertainment legend, Carlotta in an ABC telemovie.
If you, or someone you know, suffers from depression, contact Lifeline – 13 11 14.
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