Carrie Fisher was a bold advocate for people with mental illness

One of the most beloved actresses, writers and speakers in the world just so happened to live with a mental illness.

While many Americans choose to keep their mental illness hidden (and others aren't even aware that they have one in the first place), Carrie Fisher spoke candidly for more than a decade about living with bipolar disorder.

Fisher, who died Tuesday morning at the age of 60, made no secret of her illness. She spoke boldly about what it's like to live with bipolar disorder using her celebrity power to help relieve cultural stigma.

"I have a chemical imbalance that, in its most extreme state, will lead me to a mental hospital... I am mentally ill. I can say that. I am not ashamed of that. I survived that, I’m still surviving it, but bring it on," she told Diane Sawyer on PrimeTime in 2000.

Also known as manic depression, Bipolar disorder is brain disorder marked by alternating depressive episodes and periods of elated, energized behavior.

In 2011, Fisher was honored by Silver Hill Hospital for her advocacy work on behalf of people with mental illness. The actress worked relentlessly to disprove common misconceptions about bipolar disorder, namely that it was a disease people "invented" or could easily cure themselves:

Fisher's courage came after a long period of denial, projection and self-reflection. Doctors first diagnosed Fisher with mania in her mid-twenties. It took the actress twenty years, a psychotic break and a two-week stint in the hospital before she could be fully open about her struggles.

For years, Fisher blamed herself first.

"I thought they told me I was manic depressive to make me feel better about being a drug addict,” Fisher told Sawyer in 2000. “It’s what you think. If you could just control yourself … You had an indulged childhood … You were a child of privilege … I don’t know, that’s what I thought. You’re just a drug addict."

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Over time, Fisher, along with advocates in the community, began to speak candidly about their struggles and triumphs. Publicly, Fisher refused to pretend that living with mental illness, particularly bipolar disorder, was easy -- "Your bones burn… when you’re not busy talking and trying to drown it out," she said. But she also refused to believe that she, and the estimated 42.5 million people who live with mental illness, couldn't also have full lives outside of their disease.

Fisher was shaped by bipolar disorder. She wasn't defined by it, and she wanted to make that message clear.

She encouraged people with mental illness to continue to follow their dreams, regardless of cultural stigma or personal limitations:

"Stay afraid, but do it anyway," Fisher told The Herald Tribune in 2013. "What’s important is the action. You don’t have to wait to be confident. Just do it and eventually the confidence will follow."

Her words resonated. For millions of Americans, mental illness isn't something that goes away easily. Most people live with it, sometimes chronically, for the rest of their lives.

In a column published The Guardian in November of this year, the actress implored people living with mental illness to reach out and find groups, support and others like them. Fisher's greatest contribution to the mental illness community might have been her simplest one: Don't be ashamed to ask for help.

"The only lesson for me, or for anybody, is that you have to get help. It’s not a neat illness. It doesn’t go away," Fisher told People Magazine in 2013.

Fisher continued to live with her illness -- and proudly ("if you’re living with this illness and functioning at all, it’s something to be proud of, not ashamed of" ) -- until her passing Tuesday morning.

If you or anyone you know is currently struggling with mental illness, consider calling The National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI). Their hotline, 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), can provide resources and support to those in need.