Patty Duke

• Duke was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, then commonly called manic depression, in 1982. She later described the diagnosis as a turning point because it gave a name to experiences that had gone unexplained for years. [1]
• Duke first disclosed her mental illness publicly in a TV Guide interview and later discussed it extensively in her 1987 memoir Call Me Anna, becoming one of the earliest prominent actors to speak openly about living with bipolar disorder. [1][2]

• Duke described living for years with extreme shifts in mood before she was diagnosed. During manic periods, she described going for long stretches with little sleep, making irrational or impulsive decisions, spending excessively and behaving in ways that alarmed people around her. She later recalled accepting some of this behaviour as part of her personality or as the eccentricity expected of an actor. [3]
• Her depressive periods could be equally severe. Duke said she would sometimes remain in bed crying for weeks or months, and she also publicly discussed suicide attempts during the years before she received treatment. [3]

• After her diagnosis, Duke began taking lithium and also underwent psychotherapy. She said the combination brought a sense of calm she had not experienced before and allowed her to function more consistently. [1]
• Duke remained on lithium for decades and spoke openly about taking it consistently. In a 2008 interview, she said she had continued using lithium successfully since her diagnosis and emphasized the importance of staying with treatment once an effective approach is found. [8]

• Duke said lithium substantially reduced the intensity of her mood episodes and allowed her to function more consistently. She continued to experience depression at times, but described it as less severe and less disruptive than before treatment. [9]
• She remained on lithium for decades and said she took it consistently because of how well it worked for her. [8]

• After publicly disclosing her diagnosis, Duke became a prominent advocate for greater understanding of bipolar disorder and mental illness. She spoke frequently in interviews, at public events and before professional audiences about her own experience, with the goal of reducing stigma and encouraging people to seek treatment. [1]
• She also wrote about bipolar disorder in A Brilliant Madness: Living with Manic-Depressive Illness, combining her personal account with clinical discussion of the condition. [6]

“Diagnosis and treatment have shown me that manic depression is a treatable medical illness.”

— Patty Duke [10]