Lynn Rivers

• Rivers was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at age 21. During her first campaign for Congress in 1994, she publicly acknowledged the diagnosis on a call-in radio program after rumors circulated that she was having a nervous breakdown. She later continued to speak openly about having bipolar disorder while serving in Congress. [1]

• Rivers has described experiencing wide swings in mood beginning in early adulthood. At times she was highly active and productive, while depressive periods could become so severe that she stayed in bed for weeks. She also recalled periods when she slept as much as 20 hours a day and others when she became intensely angry without an apparent reason. [1][4]

• Rivers has said that she worked with a psychiatrist for about 12 years to find a combination of medications that effectively stabilized her mood. She has also described psychotherapy as an important part of her treatment, helping her understand her feelings and learn how to function when well. [5]

• Rivers said that she had been symptom-free since 1991 after years of recurring episodes. She has described maintaining her health as an ongoing process, including continuing to monitor her condition even during long periods of stability. [6][4]

• Rivers used her position in public life to challenge stigma around mental illness. She spoke to patient and advocacy groups, participated in the 1999 White House Conference on Mental Health, and argued that elected officials should be willing to acknowledge their own use of mental-health treatment rather than only support it in the abstract. [6][1][2]
• In 1998, NAMI recognized Rivers for her public disclosure and efforts to reduce stigma, describing her as a longtime advocate who had worked on mental-health issues in Michigan before entering Congress. [7]

“Yes, I am manic depressive; I am taking medication; and I am a member of the House of Representatives and good at my job.”

— Lynn Rivers [1]