Tom Fletcher health: The star’s condition that he kept hidden – what is it?

Tom Fletcher counts down the Strictly Come Dancing start date

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Rising to stardom in 2004, Tom himself said that he was “just a kid” when he joined the chart-topping band. Because of his tender age, the star who is appearing on the BBC dancing compeititon, would struggle with what he refers to as “down periods”. But having always been highly emotional he and everyone around him thought that it was just the way he was born. It was after watching a Stephen Fry documentary where the star realised that he was not the only one to feel how he was feeling.

Talking to the MailOnline he said: “I watched a documentary by Stephen Fry called The Secret Life Of The Manic Depressive. He shared his story of bipolar disorder and depression, and it sounded exactly like me. I just cried.

“I’d never thought about it being a definable mental health condition before, and I decided to speak to a therapist.

“For a long time, I still didn’t tell anyone about it. I was later diagnosed with bipolar. When I told my friend, Harry [Judd, the band’s drummer], he said: ‘Ahhh, that makes so much sense.’”

Along with being diagnosed with bipolar, the star also suffered with his weight, which the pressure of fame did not help. Because he was in the public eye his weight became an “issue”.

The star continued to say: “I stopped eating. I basically just drank coffee. It was so unhealthy.

“I’d go to Starbucks and order a frappuccino and blueberry muffin and that was me for the day. It was an obsession, and a deeply unhealthy one.”

Tom kept these health battles secret, especially from wife and former Queen of the Jungle Giovanna Fletcher. Instead he tried to understand his own thoughts and feelings.

“I went through a tough time with depression,” he said. “For a long time I didn’t really recognise what that was.”

It was after he sought help from a professional that Tom’s mental attitude really changed. He added: “Admitting [that] you are struggling with anything is the hardest bit.

“[But] It was so important that I went to speak to someone. That really changed my life.”

Having children was also something that allowed Tom to cope with his mental health. Being comfortable with not having all the “answers in life,” the singer is able to be the best father as well as the best children’s author that he can be.

What is bipolar?

Bipolar disorder, formerly called manic depression is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings. It can include emotional highs (mania) and extreme lows (depression).

The Mayo Clinic states that when you become depressed, you may feel sad or hopeless and lose interest or pleasure in most activities. When your mood shifts to mania you may feel euphoric, full of energy or unusually irritable. These mood swings can affect sleep, energy, activity, judgment, behavior and the ability to think clearly.

Episodes of mood swings may occur rarely or multiple times a year. Individuals may also experience some emotional symptoms between episodes whereas some may not.

These patterns of behaviour are known as either rapid cycling or mixed state. Rapid cycling is where a person with bipolar disorder repeatedly swings from a high to a low phase quickly without having a “normal” period in between. Whereas a mixed state is where a person with bipolar disorder experiences symptoms of depression and mania together; for example, overactivity with a depressed mood.

Symptoms of bipolar

As the condition involves extreme mood swings, symptoms are different according to which mood the person is in.

The NHS explains that during a period of depression symptoms may include:

• Feeling sad, hopeless or irritable most of the time
• Lacking energy
• Difficulty concentrating and remembering things
• Loss of interest in everyday activities
• Feelings of emptiness or worthlessness
• Feelings of guilt and despair
• Feeling pessimistic about everything
• Self-doubt
• Being delusional, having hallucinations and disturbed or illogical thinking
• Lack of appetite
• Difficulty sleeping
• Waking up early
• Suicidal thoughts.

However, when experiencing a manic phase, symptoms may include:

• Feeling very happy, elated or overjoyed
• Talking very quickly
• Feeling full of energy
• Feeling self-important
• Feeling full of great new ideas and having important plans
• Being easily distracted
• Being easily irritated or agitated
• Being delusional, having hallucinations and disturbed or illogical thinking
• Not feeling like sleeping
• Not eating
• Doing things that often have disastrous consequences – such as spending large sums of money on expensive and sometimes unaffordable items
• Making decisions or saying things that are out of character and that others see as being risky or harmful.

Bipolar is treatable with medicine and therapy. Medication usually prevents episodes of both mania and depression – known as mood stabilisers. Psychological treatment helps individuals to deal with depression and provides advice on how to improve relationships.

Most people with bipolar disorder can receive most of their treatment without having to stay in hospital. But hospital treatment may be needed if your symptoms are severe.

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