There was a ripple of shock in April this year when the publicist for screen goddess Catherine Zeta-Jones confirmed that the Welsh film star was being treated for bipolar disorder. While Zeta-Jones herself was praised for her bravery in revealing her condition, many people remarked that they were unable to reconcile her high-profile image-a successful, Oscarwinning actress with a loving husband and family-with that of a person affected by bipolar disorder.

Perhaps it was an indication of how unfamiliar we really are with the facts of bipolar disorder: what it is, what causes it, and how it’s treated. If we have mood swings, does that automatically mean we’re bipolar? If a person suffers from depression, are they at risk of developing bipolar disorder as well? It’s a topic that is all the more necessary in Malaysia, since mental illness largely remains a taboo subject in this country.

The Malaysian Psychiatric Association has estimated that about 1% of the country’s population suffers from bipolar disorder, which means that roughly 250,000 people are affected by it. At a quarter of a million people, that’s a considerable number-and it’s evidence that we need to stop sticking our heads in the sand and start talking about the issue instead.