'Peace Of Mind With Taraji' College Athlete Iman Discusses Bipolar Disorder

During Taraji P. Henson’s most recent episode of Peace of Mind with Taraji, the actress, and her cohost Tracie Jade Jenkins focused on bipolar disorder and the effect it has on families.

Source: Courtesy Facebook Watch / Facebook Watch

College basketball player Iman sat down with the ladies to discuss his mental health struggle and his journey on becoming the first person in his family professionally diagnosed with the disorder.

According to Iman, 24, when he was diagnosed at 22 he didn’t believe it and he immediately slipped into denial.

“Denial, straight denial,” said Iman when asked to reflect on when he was first diagnosed as bipolar. “I felt that I was labeled a problem child. Immediately felt like that was the reason to separate me from my family and the people that I loved most within my family.”

Later however he came to terms with it and realized it explained his behavior that included isolation and manic episodes. He also told Taraji and Tracie that during a particularly troubling episode he didn’t sleep for a month and drank excessively before seeking help.

“My mental was not keeping up with my physical,” said Iman said noting that he had hallucinations and panic attacks during episodes.

Later on in the episode, Taraji and Tracie chat with a daughter of a schizophrenic who faced the mental health struggle head-on at home.

You can watch the full episode below.

All-new episodes of “Peace of Mind with Taraji” air every Monday and Wednesday at 9amPT /12pmET on Facebook Watch.

New episodes can be found on facebook.com/Watch and Taraji P. Henson’s Facebook page

In Peace of Mind with Taraji, Golden Globe Award-Winning Actress Taraji P. Henson and her best friend and co-host Tracie Jade shine a spotlight on the challenging mental health issues facing us today – particularly of those in the Black community. Through personal interviews with both celebrities, experts, and everyday people, the series shows how to provide support, bring awareness and help eliminate the stigmas of mental health issues.