manic depressive (sp) is the old name
and yep, she's not doing a bad job of it

I thought she acted it brilliantly. That must drain her as an actress. Best actress award was well deserved

Very moving episode tonight, lacey turner and gillian wright have been brilliant. Possibly the best episode in a long long time.

P.S Syd is such a nasty cow

For a nurse she's not very understandng is she?

I though both Stacey and her mum were brilliant.

Unlike wooden Samantha Janus or whatever she's called nowadays.

Samantha J........anus.

Best EE's episode for blimmin ages. Brilliant Bet Bradley dont get on that plane...

It had me in tears, it was so real. I have thyroid( underactive) problem and when balance is not correct I experiece terribel stress and weird fear.. I was feeling frightened for her. so so well done. I am not bi polar but been diagnosed on the cusp so to speak many years ago and have experienced mood swings. That young lady is one fine actress.
As to Syd, my experience of many  so called nurses have been right b*tches like her but worse..I do except there are good nurses out there but they are not all angels as so many like to think!!
I wonder if it will go omto portray what experience she has in hospital.. her fear of such places is well founded as heard lot of bad stuff but others are good..
Hope she and the mother figure in East Enders both get acting award for this..

IO did a long reply and it would not go through! what a waste of time that was!!

IO did a long reply and it would not go through! what a waste of time that was!!

I wrote in the EE thread about their performances which I think are award winning. Stacey no doubt deserves a rest from the role as it must have been so emotionally draining the last few weeks to have to act/draw on such raw and high emotions. I was hoping Bradley would stay, maybe he'll come back. I didn't like the script of Syd's uncaring and jealous attitude.


Over the years I've known two people who were diagnosed as Bi Polar and were prescribed Lithium. They were never in a constant state of depression but swung quickly from deep depression to high elation, it's very difficult for their family and friends to deal with if they don't stick to their medication.  Like someone else here I too cried tonight, but great performances.

lainy m 1527 Forum Posts

Today at 12:54 (Edited: )

I've always liked the character of Stacey and Lacey Turner is such a fantastic actress, she is so convincing she has put her heart and soul into getting all the characteristics of Bipolar right like the mood swings, paranoia and confusion. Gillian Wright who plays Jean is brill also and is so underrated I so hope both she and Lacey win the awards they're EE best actress and whatever material given they deliver. I missed tonights show but know i'm in for a treat, glad it's helped so many people though the research has been spot on, must have been so draining for the actresses though they deserve all this praise.

V v rarely watch Eastenders but you guys have got me interested in this so I'll have to watch on Sun if I get chance.
My Dad suffered from bi-polar disorder, (or mood swings/manic depression as it was known in those days.) Horrible, horrible, horrible for him and at times v difficult  for those who lived with him too. After years of suffering and a v v serious suicide attempt he finally went on lithium, (thanks to my partner at the time who was a consultant psychiatrist,) and it made a HUGE difference

Hi Super, you're in for such a good watch on Sunday you'll be impressed with how realistic it is but also feeling for both characters and I bet you'll be praising it once you've watched.



Awwww, is he better now then?.

He was better Darlo, much, much better for the 15 years he was on lithium, however he then passed away 4 years ago, (nothing to do with the mental health problems)
Will definitely try to watch on Sun

It must have felt good that something positive happened before he passed away though .

Absolutely- he'd suffered some v traumatic experiences as a little boy, then aged 64-79 he was at relative peace with himself and the world
One of the horrible things, (in my experience,) for those living with/loving people with this awful illness is that it is so much easier to like them when they are 'down' than when they are 'up,' whilst, of course, they feel so much better when they are 'up' than 'down'

Thats a shame but you learn more about yourself through these things that happen. It's the distressed nature of the person with a mental illness that they feel better when they are down, due to the mood swings and the way how they feel constantly changing or feeling that people who are trying to help are against you or others talking about you or think that you're mad


Stacey as you will see on Sunday in EE is totally in denial that she has Bipolar after helping her mom Jean through the condition, the tables have now turned and it's Jean acting as support for Stacey which is interesting and she feels as it's her fault that she has failed her daughter and she's got to do something to help Stacey as she's a danger to herself and others with the way she is behaving and needs help to come to terms with it.

I was crying my eyes out over eastenders tonight - not just for 'Stacey' but for 'Jean' too - how awful, I know its only a programme, but it ACTUALLY happens. Very VERY well acted by both of them over the past few months - heartbreaking stuff to watch. Its all the more real if any of us know that this stuff DOES actually happen

I understand totally.  My mum was finally diagnosed after being found on a motorway bridge on Fireworks night by the police and was diagnosed with manic depression.  She was hospitalised (in those days they still had hospitals for this kind of thing) and was also on lithium, also chlorpromazine, amitriptyline, temazepam and others that I can not recall now.  It was an unpleasant time as my dad had, a few months previously, been diagnosed as clincally depressed which he was also on medication for.  My mum has also suffered some emotional trauma as a child I think it's fair to say.

i've always thought the  girl who plays stacey and the woman who plays her mum were pretty good actors, their portrayal of  people suffering from bi-polar disorder has been riveting.

I hardly ever watch Eastenders these days ..... but last night as there was sod all on TV, I found myself watching.

I've always thought Lacey Turner was a great little actress

She had me in tears   with her performance last night ...... she played the part brilliantly

Well done to her & her TV mum too

I reckon last night's TV was one of the best of all time with the bi-polar story climax, followed half an hour later by the last episode of Criminal Justice with Maxine Peake, both with unforgettable final scenes.

LLF, I remember years and years of my Dad having repeated ECT and being hospitalised before they finally put him on lithium at my ex's intervention- it was truly awful for him

ECT is horrendous  Hospitalisation wasn't too bad for my mum - it seemed to really help her but some of the people there were no doing so well  I remember there being a primary school teacher in the bed next to my mum and she was in a real state and on the cabinet next to the bed there was a card from the children in her class and it made me feel really sad.