Catherine Zeta-Jones on Bipolar Disorder, Installed Special Space In Home
Catherine Zeta-Jones opened up about having bipolar disorder and dealing with her husband's cancer scare two years ago during a recent interview.
The actress married Michael Douglas in 2000 and shares two children with the Academy Award-winning actor.
In 2010, Douglas was diagnosed with throat cancer, hurdling the family into hardship.
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Zeta-Jones, whose bipolar condition can result in severe mood swings, revealed that her husband's cancer was a "huge shock" while speaking to the U.K.'s Stella magazine.
"When Michael was diagnosed with cancer I really thought, 'You are going to have to wipe me off the floor,'" said the actress of the crippling news.
Furthermore, the 43-year-old actress struggled to maintain her own health while her husband faced cancer and ended up in the hospital for treatment herself.
"When you get sideswiped like that [by Douglas' cancer] it's an obvious trigger for your balance to be a little bit off, not sleeping, worry, stress," explained Zeta-Jones. "It's a classic trigger."
She added that she "wasn't as strong as I thought I could have been" and marveled at the strength of her husband, but admitted that she has since created a space in her home where she can hide away.
"We spend a hell of a lot of time together, so we are careful to maintain our space," said the star before comparing the space to the time machine from the British program "Doctor Who."
"We recently had an extension built, to house a closet. It's like the Tardis- I go in there and never come out," she joked, according to Stella magazine.
In the past, Zeta-Jones divulged that she periodically seeks professional care to keep her bipolar condition at bay, asserting that the intermittent treatment strengthens her commitment to remain healthy.
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At the time of revealing her condition, the Welsh star said she hoped her admission would help others who are bipolar.
"This is a disorder that affects millions of people and I am one of them," the actress said while speaking to Extra. "If my revelation of having bipolar II has encouraged one person to seek help, then it is worth it. There is no need to suffer silently an there is no shame in seeking help."
Meanwhile, Zeta-Jones has also faced prodding questions over the statement made by her husband linking oral sex and throat cancer.
While talking about his own battle with throat cancer, Douglas said that the disease can be caused by a virus contracted by performing oral sex on women.
The actor later backtracked on his comment, explaining, "Head and neck cancer can be caused by many things including HPV virus, smoking, alcohol, drug abuse, genes, environment and stress. I do not know what caused my cancer. If I did, I'd have a Nobel Prize."
This week in New York City during an special screening of her latest film "Red 2," a reporter asked Zeta-Jones: "Have you been mortified that your husband, in some ways, has become the poster boy for the dangers of oral sex?"
In response, the actress simply stated, "Next question."
