7 Shocking Facts About the Netflix Elisa Lam Docuseries and Bipolar Disorder
A wildly popular docuseries on Netflix explores the mysterious disappearance of Elisa Lam, a Canadian tourist who arrived in Los Angeles in 2013 only to vanish days later while staying at a rundown hotel in downtown Los Angeles. Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel airs the last known footage of the 21-year-old—a grainy video of her acting strangely in one of the hotel’s elevators. In the video, Elisa looks scared, frantically presses multiple buttons, appears to be trying to hide from someone, and makes some bizarre hand gestures.
When the police released the video days after her disappearance, it quickly went viral, garnering millions of views and dozens of conspiracy theories. When Elisa’s lifeless body was found in one of the water tanks on the roof of the hotel, the mystery and theories grew exponentially. Was she murdered? Was she on drugs? Was it suicide?
DID MENTAL ILLNESS CONTRIBUTE TO ELISA LAM’S DEATH?
In the end (spoiler alert!), officials ruled it an accidental death and indicated that bipolar disorder was a contributing factor. Elisa had been diagnosed with bipolar spectrum disorder, which affects nearly 6 million Americans and is a severe mood disorder in which people cycle between depressive episodes and mania. On her Tumblr account, Elisa had written openly about having bipolar disorder and depression. Despite this, an army of Internet sleuths who emerged in the wake of her disappearance gravitated to more macabre theories about her death. Like too many people in our society, they overlooked the very real and negative impacts mental illness can have on a person’s behavior and life. The Netflix docuseries touches on Elisa Lam’s mental health struggles, but there is so much more you need to know about bipolar disorder. The Netflix docuseries touches on Elisa Lam’s mental health struggles, but there is so much more you need to know about bipolar disorder.7 SURPRISING FACTS ABOUT BIPOLAR DISORDER
1. People with bipolar disorder often stop taking their medication.
In the Elisa Lam docuseries, the coroner’s report revealed only traces of the medications prescribed to treat bipolar disorder, including antidepressants, a mood stabilizer, and an antipsychotic. Curiously, the amounts detected in her system were less than what had been prescribed, meaning Elisa was either skipping doses or taking less than recommended. In the docuseries, a psychiatrist suggests, “I think Elisa stopped taking her medications. And once she stops taking her meds, the risk for a mood episode goes way up.” It is not unusual for people with bipolar disorder to stop taking their medications. Bipolar disorder is typically very responsive to treatment. In fact, people with this condition often feel so much better after starting a prescription, they believe they no longer have an underlying issue and stop taking their meds. A 2016 review of existing research shows that as many as 70% of bipolar patients don’t adhere to prescription recommendations. Noncompliance results in worsening symptoms, increased hospitalizations, and a rise in suicidal behavior.2. Some bipolar people experience psychosis.
Experts interviewed in the docuseries suggest that Elisa’s strange behavior in the elevator may indicate that she was experiencing a psychotic episode related to mania in bipolar disorder. Psychosis is associated with a disconnect from reality and can involve hallucinations, delusions, disjointed thinking, confusion, and a lack of self-awareness. In some people, it can lead to risky or dangerous behaviors.3. Bipolar disorder increases the risk of suicide.
As many as 60% of bipolar patients attempt suicide at least once in their lifetime, according to a 2019 review in Medicina. In untreated bipolar disorder, an alarming 1 in 5 complete suicide. Does this mean Elisa Lam was intentionally trying to harm herself? We will never know the truth about what exactly was happening in Elisa’s mind as she climbed inside the water tank on the roof of the Cecil Hotel. But sadly, far too many individuals with this condition take their own lives.4. Teens are vulnerable to bipolar disorder.
In the docuseries, it is revealed that by age 21, Elisa Lam had already been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. This isn’t unusual, and in fact, it is most common for the onset of this mental health condition to occur in a person’s late teens to mid-20s. Elisa had also been diagnosed with depression, which research shows may be an early symptom of bipolar disorder. In fact, 1 in 5 adolescents who experience the onset of major depressive disorder will develop bipolar disorder—within 5 years!5. Having bipolar disorder is stigmatizing.
The Netflix series reveals that Elisa wrote about her mental health issues on her Tumblr account, exposing how painful and isolating it can be. Among her posts, Elisa wrote: “Apparently, I’m bipolar. A few good days followed by a week of sleeping. That is the pattern.” “Depression sucks.” “I had a relapse.” “Fellow bipolars, you may be the only ones who understand what this is like.” “It’s a vicious cycle, isn’t it? I’m just so tired. So very tired.” “I don’t want to live like this.” “According to some people, I have a chemical imbalance. Can I just inhabit someone else’s brain?” Feeling stigmatized, misunderstood, and alone is common among people with bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric conditions. Finding others to talk to and share your feelings—whether it’s a mental health professional or a support group—can be helpful.6. Bipolar disorder is a brain disorder.
Brain SPECT imaging shows that bipolar disorder is associated with abnormal brain activity. In bipolar patients at Amen Clinics, we see increased activity in the limbic system (emotional center), amygdala (fear center), hippocampus (mood and memory center), and cingulate gyrus (the brain’s gear shifter).
