Halsey stands up for others with bipolar disorder: ‘A manic episode isn’t a joke’

Singer-songwriter Halsey has spoken up about mental illness in a lengthy Twitter thread signed, “Human Being with a Decade Long Bipolar Diagnosis.”

On Monday night, the “Without Me” hitmaker warned against “taking this opportunity to make offensive remarks and [vilify] people with mental illnesses.” She did not specify what events or remarks prompted her tweets.

“No jokes right now,” Halsey began the thread. “I have dedicated my career to offering education and insight about bipolar disorder and I’m so disturbed by what I’m seeing. Personal opinions about someone aside, a manic episode isnt a joke. If you can’t offer understanding or sympathy, offer your silence.”

While promoting her latest album, “Manic,” which debuted in January, Halsey has been open about her own experiences with bipolar disorder in an effort to educate others about the condition. The 25-year-old Grammy nominee was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in her teens.

According to Dr. Snehi Kapur, who recently sat down for a YouTube conversation with Halsey about mental health, people with bipolar disorder typically experience a “cyclical pattern of mood changes marked by depression, which is the low phase — it’s where you’re feeling sad, low energy — and the manic phase, which is usually high energy.”

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“A lot of people you know probably have bipolar disorder and you aren’t aware of it,” Halsey continued in her thread, adding, “You can hate someone’s actions or opinions without contributing to stigma that damages an entire community of sometimes vulnerable people all for a couple of laughs.”

“If you wanna think someone is [a jerk], go ahead. Lots of people with mental illnesses are great. Lots of them are [jerks]. Because they are people. With nuanced personalities. But making jokes specifically targeted towards bipolar hurts more than the 1 person ur angry with.”

“I Would Leave Me If I Could,” a forthcoming poetry collection by Halsey, is now available for pre-order at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, IndieBound and other retailers.