Ashlee Malleo Opens Up About Her Bipolar II Diagnosis

Ashlee Malleo recently shared that she has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The Real Housewives of New Jersey daughter of Jacqueline Laurita took to Instagram to open up about her bipolar II diagnosis, her decision “to finally seek proper help,” and the importance of acknowledging and speaking out about mental health.

“You may not think that I have had many difficulties in my life — but I have. These last two years have been especially difficult for me. About almost a month ago, I had a psychotic break,” Ashlee shared in the caption of her June 27 post. “I found myself in a position where I was afraid of myself and my own thoughts. And I chose to finally seek proper help. I took a short break from social media as well. During this process of seeking help, I was diagnosed with bipolar II.”

She continued to share that she “made the personal choice to begin medication right away,” adding, “I truly feel that I had tried everything else up to that point. I think I have been in denial for a very long time about this diagnosis. However, I was also never properly educated about all of the other aspects of having bipolar. I was so used to hearing bipolar being used as a negative adjective to describe someone. I always thought it was just something related to mood swings. It is SO much more, and a lot of things in my life started to make sense.”

Ashlee noted in the caption of her post that it was “actually a relief to finally have an explanation for certain things,” going on to add, “It has been empowering for me to learn more about it, and take back control. I am not ashamed of my diagnosis. And I will not allow anyone to try to make me feel ashamed of it. I will also not allow anyone to use my diagnosis as a scapegoat to treat me poorly.”

She continued, “I see bipolar disorder as the gift of extraordinary emotions. It has given me a level of resiliency that I very much needed growing up. It has made me capable of withstanding whatever obstacles the Universe throws at me. I am strong. It has contributed to me being imaginative, empathetic, adaptive — and it’s definitely contributed to my great sense of humor in some way. This is just yet another chapter of my life. I’m curious and hopeful to see where I’ll be a year from now. Life is a journey full of ebbs and flows.”

Ashlee concluded by underscoring the importance of speaking out about mental health, writing, “Keep going. Be proud of yourself. I think it’s important for us to speak about all of our individual experiences living with bipolar (and other mental illnesses) so that we can help break down the negative stigmas surrounding mental illness entirely.”

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