Bipolar disorder in the spotlight after Robert Carradine's death

Actor Robert Carradine died at 71; his family said he took his own life after a long struggle with bipolar disorder, which affects millions of Americans.

Robert Carradine, an actor known for roles in Lizzie McGuire and Revenge of the Nerds, has died at age 71. His family announced that he took his own life after a nearly two-decade battle with bipolar disorder. Relatives described his struggle as valiant and emphasized there is no shame in the illness. Bipolar disorder, formerly called manic depression, involves episodes of mania or hypomania and depressive periods and is estimated to affect millions in the United States. Reported details: - Family members confirmed his death and said it followed a long fight with bipolar disorder. - His older brother Keith Carradine said the family wanted people to know about the illness and called it "an illness that got the best of him." - The article reports that the death of his half-brother David Carradine was described by Robert Carradine as a factor in his mental-health decline and later diagnosis. - Health sources cited in the reporting note that bipolar disorder can begin in adolescence, has multiple classifications (bipolar I, bipolar II, cyclothymia), and is associated with a higher suicide rate. Summary: Carradine's death is reported as linked to a longstanding diagnosis of bipolar disorder and his family emphasized openness about the condition. Undetermined at this time.