Model and actress Rosie Viva, now a prominent ambassador for Bipolar UK, has revealed the terrifying psychotic episode that led to her bipolar diagnosis at age 22, a period where she lost her grasp of the English language.
The 29-year-old, who shares her experience in books, documentaries, and the charity's new film 'Maybe It’s Bipolar', described the year following her diagnosis as the most difficult of her life.
She told Reach: "Accepting my diagnosis was the hardest year of my life. I didn't want a life with it because what I knew about bipolar at that moment was hospital and psychosis and losing everything."
The Day of Psychosis and Hospitalisation
Rosie's diagnosis of type one bipolar disorder came after a severe psychotic episode that resulted in her being hospitalised under the Mental Health Act.
In a single day, her behaviour escalated dramatically. She stole from shops, kissed a stranger in a cafe, bought breakfast for everyone at a McDonald's, and shut down Stansted Airport by pulling a fire alarm after jumping through the baggage drop-off.
Reflecting on her state in Ealing hospital, she shared: "I was in full psychosis... I was so psychotic that I couldn't understand English." She has no coherent memories from that time.
Subtle and Terrifying Hallucinations
Before being sectioned, Rosie began experiencing disturbing hallucinations that warped her perception of reality in subtle ways.
She recalled checking her Citymapper app and seeing the bus and tube emojis vanish, replaced by a man with a rocket on his back, while everything else around her appeared normal.
"It's really small, that's where it's really horrible, because you know you've gone crazy when it's subtle," she explained. "It's actually so terrifying when your eyesight, your touch, all these things you've relied on every day to get up and just do your thing become delusional."
Initially, when a doctor suggested she might have bipolar disorder months before her crisis, Rosie was deeply offended. She saw it as an accusation of something being fundamentally wrong with her.
Acceptance, Advocacy, and a Message of Hope
Rosie’s perspective transformed through her work with Bipolar UK and connecting with others who have the condition. She learned that a fulfilling life with bipolar is possible.
She is now determined to challenge the stigma, particularly the misconception that people with bipolar cannot be good people. She argues that the vast mood spectrum can foster greater empathy and understanding of human emotion.
Her urgent advice for anyone recognising potential symptoms is to seek help immediately.
"It's always going to reach a crisis point," she warned. "It is a disorder. I would just say you need to get help, because in the long run, you're going to be able to get your life back on track much sooner."
Rosie also spoke candidly about the challenges of a young diagnosis, which forced her to mature quickly by avoiding alcohol, maintaining a strict sleep schedule, and seeing friendships change. Now at 29, she finds life has become easier as her peers naturally adopt similar lifestyles.
She emphasised that while managing the condition is a lifelong journey, it gets better with time and support. Bipolar UK estimates that over half of the people in the UK with the condition remain undiagnosed, and the charity continues to campaign for greater awareness.
