London woman's bipolar diagnosis journey after airport arrest during psychosis
A young woman from London has courageously shared her powerful story of being diagnosed with bipolar disorder following a dramatic psychotic episode that led to her arrest at London Stansted Airport. Rosie van Amerongen, now 29 years old, hopes her experience will raise vital awareness about the condition and encourage others to seek appropriate support.
The crisis point at Stansted Airport
Rosie's journey toward diagnosis reached a critical turning point when she experienced a severe psychotic episode at Stansted Airport. "I went into full psychosis at Stansted Airport and jumped through baggage drop off and got arrested," she revealed. "At that point, my hallucinations were so loud. I was hearing voices that were telling me that Satan was coming."
This distressing incident ultimately led to her being sectioned under the Mental Health Act and receiving her bipolar diagnosis at age 22. She reflects that this crisis moment, while traumatic, served as a crucial signal that she needed professional help. "I think that was my way of reaching crisis point that signalled that I needed help," Rosie explained about the airport incident.
Early signs and masking struggles
Growing up in Stroud before moving to London, Rosie recognised from an early age that she experienced emotions differently from her peers. She was frequently described as "reactive" and "sensitive" by those around her. One particularly telling incident occurred when she was just 15 years old, when a friend developed anorexia.
"I got more upset by the situation than she did," Rosie recalled. "I ended up having to take some time off school because I was so anxious about seeing her deteriorate." This pattern of intense emotional responses continued through her teenage years, culminating in a severe depression during sixth form that proved debilitating.
Throughout this period, Rosie became adept at concealing her struggles from those around her. "When I look back at that time, in videos I seem super happy in the way I presented myself, but I knew that I was masking from quite a young age," she confessed. This emotional masking, which she describes as physically and mentally exhausting, meant she rarely revealed her true emotional state to anyone except her mother.
The spiral into crisis
Rosie's mental health challenges intensified significantly when she was working as a model in London at age 21. What began as severe anxiety and depression escalated over eight months to the point where she had to stop working and was regularly calling ambulances during panic attacks.
After being prescribed SSRIs, she experienced alarming side effects. "It felt like being on cocaine," she described. "I couldn't sleep or concentrate and my heart felt like it was beating at a million miles an hour all the time." Following a relationship breakdown during a particularly severe low period, Rosie experienced what she initially believed was recovery but later recognised as hypomania.
This manic phase manifested in increasingly delusional thinking. "I started thinking I was a reincarnation of a sibling who had died and was manically posting on Instagram saying that I'd been sent by God," she shared. This escalation ultimately led to the psychotic episode at Stansted Airport that resulted in her arrest and subsequent hospitalisation.
Diagnosis and ongoing management
Following her hospitalisation, Rosie faced not only the challenge of coming to terms with her diagnosis but also confronting the stigma surrounding bipolar disorder. "That first month out of hospital, everyone started to speak to me in a hushed voice, there was so much shame around it," she remembered. "I was also met with a lot of silence, people just didn't want to talk about it and that just embedded this feeling that I had done something wrong."
Finding the right medication proved to be a significant breakthrough in her recovery journey. "My medication – anti-psychotics, which have mood stabilisers in – was the biggest breakthrough," Rosie explained. "Because it gave me the energy to sleep properly, but to not over sleep." She emphasises that proper sleep management remains crucial for managing her condition effectively.
Building support and raising awareness
Now working as a Bipolar UK ambassador, Rosie has found particular strength in connecting with other women in London who share similar experiences with the condition. "Having a community of girls in London of a similar age who also have bipolar has been a big turning point for me," she said. "It means that when I have a bad day, someone can actually understand what I'm going through, which is really incredible."
Through her advocacy work, Rosie hopes to challenge misconceptions about bipolar disorder and reassure others facing similar challenges. "I want people to know that anyone can have bipolar," she emphasised. "It can affect kind people, shy people, women, men – it doesn't discriminate."
She particularly wants to address the concerns of young women who might be struggling with their mental health. "I'm so at peace with that now, but I want young women to know that it's totally normal and it's not something to be embarrassed by," Rosie concluded. "You don't have to manage this alone."
Her story highlights the importance of recognising mental health struggles, seeking appropriate support, and challenging the stigma that still surrounds conditions like bipolar disorder in our society today.
