There are many words that have been used to describe Mariah Carey over the years, and these include popstar and diva. But despite the way you may feel about the singer, what’s incredibly important is that she has used her stardom as a platform to spread awareness for mental health, and she did this when she publicly shared her own diagnosis.

Earlier this year, Carey revealed her battle with Bipolar II disorder in an interview with People magazine. She said, “Until recently I lived in denial and isolation and in constant fear someone would expose me. It was too heavy a burden to carry and I simply couldn’t do that anymore. I sought and received treatment, I put positive people around me and I got back to doing what I love — writing songs and making music.” She is now in therapy and is taking medication for her disorder, which she was diagnosed with back in 2001. She spoke about this, too, telling the publication, “I’m actually taking medication that seems to be pretty good. It’s not making me feel too tired or sluggish or anything like that. Finding the proper balance is what is most important.”

Bipolar II is defined by the National Institute of Mental Health as “a pattern of depressive episodes and hypomanic episodes, but not the full-blown manic episodes” that someone who struggles with Bipolar I would have, which could last days or may even require hospital care. According to WebMD, anyone can develop Bipolar II, and around 2.5 percent of the population in the United States struggles from some form of Bipolar disorder.

This disorder is usually diagnosed first in people who are in their teenage years or early twenties, and that almost all people who have this disorder are diagnosed before they turn 50. WebMD reports the symptoms as having exaggerated self-confidence, rapidly moving on from one idea to the next, uninterruptable and loud speech, and increased energy and therefore a reduced need to sleep.

Someone as famous as Carey speaking about her own struggles with mental health can have a positive impact on others and could make those in similar situations more willing to admit their own challenges. It also helps to dispel the stigma that is attached to mental health.

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