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LOS ANGELES: Welsh actress Catherine Zeta-Jones has checked into a mental health clinic to treat her bipolar disorder after helping her husband Michael Douglas fight against cancer, a publicist said Wednesday.
“After dealing with the stress of the past year, Catherine made the decision to check into a mental health facility for a brief stay to treat her bipolar II disorder,” her representative Cece Yorke said in a statement.
Bipolar II is a less severe form of bipolar disorder where manic-depressive patients, unlike those with bipolar I, do not have full-blown manic episodes.
Instead, patients have an elevated mood, irritability and changes in functioning, thought they can usually perform routine tasks, according to the Mayo Clinic. They also have longer periods of depression than of hypomania.
Zeta-Jones, 41, stood by her Oscar-winning husband's side during his ultimately successful struggle against throat cancer.
“She's feeling great and looking forward to starting work this week on her two upcoming films,” said Yorke.
The actress's forthcoming films include Gabriele Muccino's “Playing the Field” and “Lay the Favorite” directed by fellow Briton Stephen Frears.
She was awarded a best actress in a supporting role Oscar for her performance in “Chicago” (2002). Most of her career has been in Hollywood, with roles in films such as “Traffic,” “Ocean's Twelve” and “The Mask of Zorro.” – AFP
