Carrie Fisher, the actress known most for her role as Princess Leia in the original Star Wars trilogy had been very open about her struggles with bipolar disorder. She had originally struggled with drug and alcohol addiction, and figured that was the cause of her mental instability. It was only after she was a year sober that she was formally diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Fisher quickly became an icon because of her openness in discussing her condition. In interviews she would not only talk about being bipolar, but how it was also a point of pride. For her, the fact that she had to struggle through these thoughts on a daily basis made it that much better when she got through them. She said that people with mental illness are much tougher than they give themselves credit for, because they have to battle their own mind on a day to day basis. She also discussed the importance of seeking professional help and medication, and also emphasized that sleep deprivation and irregular sleep schedules would make most mental illnesses a lot worse.

Photo credit: Carrie Fisher by Gage Skidmore