Mindscape: Oscar-winning Actor Richard Dreyfuss on Living with Bipolar Disorder

I've seen him in films and on the stage. He's a brilliant, inspired actor, and now realize what a brave, honest and bright man he is. Thank you, Richard for your courage. Inspiring!

Don't you just adore Richard Dreyfuss for his honesty?

Richard Dreyfuss still has that charisma we saw in his movies. This has been a very interesting discussion.

This describes my husband. I always thought he had ADHD. But there's too many differences. He would never admit he isn't perfect though, or seek medical help. He doesn't believe he has a problem in the world. His speech races and grows in volume, some days he's all over the place, some days he's in bed half the day on the internet. And most days he says and does socially inappropriate things. He simply cannot help himself. We are getting divorced soon. He feels he can get someone much younger now, has very grandiose ideations. Which might be accurate except that his personality makes people cringe, and at 60, he looks like a 75 year old. I tried hard to get him help. He totally refused. It's admirable that Mr. Dreyfuss got help. There's something awesome about a man who realizes he's only human. And biology disorders are NO ONE'S FAULT. Love you Mr. Dreyfuss!

I had it easier than Richard, sort of. I don't have a disorder, but suffered clinical depression. My Father was Bi-Polar and a Pathological Narcissist. His Gaslighting of me, and other abusive treatment of me, finally, and thankfully sent me to therapy. I have been close to suicide many times. But, I did the work. I've come out on the other side and I'm happier now than I've ever been in my life. You can win against your Demons. It takes work, but you can do it.

I love the internet, we wouldn't be able to see something like this 20 years ago.

How brave and selfless of him to come out with his truth. He will help others because of this.

I have nothing but love and admiration for every sufferer of this wicked disease. Please don't despair. Take it day by day🤗

Love love love this brilliant actor and his work, his humanity and humility.

Bless this man for his raw transparency about mental health issues. You are so talented and intelligent...and this is very helpful for others that share your suffering. Thank you Richard.

As a retired special education teacher, I want to thank Richard for his frankness. We all need to hear it. It was so helpful to my students when I learned to refer to their brain and not their person.

It’s ironic that he played Dr. Leo Marvin in ‘What about Bob?’ which is a movie I love. He’s such a great actor and he’s brave to disclose his condition.

"Knowing the difference between self hatred and humility" That really resonated with me. Wow. Love that.

Fantastic interview! I was in an acting class with his son. He spoke highly of his dad.

"It wasn't me it was the structure." A simple sentence that holds so much meaning...kudos Richard

I believe we graduated from Beverly Hills High School in the same Class of 1965, Richard. While I didn’t know you personally, I knew of you. I grew up with a mother who was a Narcissistic personality, and most likely Bipolar, other mental issues, and very abusive. I wanted to be an actor and star in musicals, etc. However, I had no support from my family and knew no one who could help me, so I learned what I could and was in choral groups and in amateur plays, etc. I finally managed to graduate college, when I was 50, with a degree in music and teaching. I was a medical technologist in microbiology, which I also loved, and later a substitute teacher for elementary school through high school, with music when I could get jobs. As a child, I had a total mental breakdown, but recovered from that within a few months. Because of my mother, who I was always terrified of, I finally developed moderately severe depression and could no longer work from my early 60s on. I married twice and divorced twice, had no kids or siblings, so today, my family is my cat and me. I moved to Washington State to escape my Ex, who sent me nasty letters and tried to destroy my life, literally, when he could. At the time, I lived in Connecticut. I lived in New York and New Jersey also, but I was born in Los Angeles. My dad was a native New Yorker. My mother loved to move every year or two, trying to run away from life, but it never worked. Meds help me survive the depression and other problems of a woman in her mid-70s. I finally found unconditional love from my pets, but never from another human. I really enjoyed your wonderful acting and seeing you try and resolve living with a mental issue that is often ignored and mistaken for another condition. You have family and love in your life which, I’m pretty sure, helps you survive and be happier. Take care, and I wish you all the best. 💖😊

Thank u Mr. Dreyfuss. I can relate to everything you said. I was diagnosed at 14. Here I am 35 years later still fighting

I have so much respect for this guy. Both as an actor, but also as a human being.

It's amazing how you can see by the comments who is a sufferer and who doesn't have a clue!

His greatest curse was also his greatest gift . His quick mind was able to blow out great acting while spewing out increíble written dialogue with flair . Increíble . Amazing interview love this .