Catherine Zeta-Jones: 'There is No Need to Suffer Silently'

[wolfie]

After the surprise revelation last week that Catherine Zeta-Jones had received treatment for bipolar II disorder, the actress appears on the cover of People magazine this week and discusses her struggle.

"This is a disorder that affects millions of people and I am one of them," she told People in a statement. "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 and there is no shame in seeking help."

Zeta-Jones checked in to Silver Hill Hospital -- a mental health facility in New Canaan, Connecticut -- in April, a few months after her husband, Michael Douglas, was deemed free of cancer after enduring a long battle with throat cancer.

The catalyst for Zeta-Jones' seeking help was her upcoming role in the romantic comedy "Playing the Field," which is to begin shooting in Lousiana shortly. She realized, according to People, that she would need to address her growing depression before heading back into a professional setting.

"The simple things would just seem overwhelming, like going out to dinner," a "close friend" told the magazine. "There was just a little piece of her chipped away. It was hard to watch because I knew how hard she was trying."

Those who suffer from bipolar II disorder generally face an increased level depression, with mood swings that last for a longer period of time and "up" periods that are "more elevated." Often, the episodes are triggered by "major stress or life changes." On the spectrum of bipolar disorders, bipolar II is considered less severe than bipolar I.