Mariah Carey is writing a memoir.
Mariah Carey
The chart-topping singer - who recently revealed she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2001 - has been "looking inward" as she searches for inspiration for her book and the decision to speak so openly about her personal struggles has been a liberating experience for Mariah.
An insider told the New York Post newspaper's Page Six column: "There were very few people in her circle who knew [she was bipolar]. It was a very personal decision for her. She's been on and off medication since she was diagnosed."
Despite her fame and success, Mariah has received support for her mental health disorder from relatively few people in her life.
The source shared: "There was a small group of people who really cared for her, personally. They gradually left.
"There were a lot of issues. It was so layered. It was very, very bad."
Mariah revealed her secret 17-year-long battle with bipolar II - in which a person experiences hypomanic episodes as well as low, depressive ones - during an interview published this week.
The singer - who has six-year-old fraternal twins Moroccan and Monroe with her ex-husband Nick Cannon - said: "I didn't want to believe it. I was so terrified of losing everything I convinced myself the only way to deal with this was to not deal with this.
"Until recently I lived in denial and isolation and in constant fear someone would expose me. It was too heavy a burden to carry and I simply couldn't do that anymore. I sought and received treatment, I put positive people around me and I got back to doing what I love - writing songs and making music."
The 'Touch My Body' hitmaker now feels ready to speak out in the hopes that other suffers can realise they're not alone.
She explained: "I'm just in a really good place right now, where I'm comfortable discussing my struggles with bipolar II disorder.
"I'm hopeful we can get to a place where the stigma is lifted from people going through anything alone. It can be incredibly isolating."
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