Zack McDermott

• McDermott was diagnosed with Bipolar I disorder after his first psychotic episode at age 26, when he was admitted to Bellevue Hospital in New York. He later wrote publicly about the diagnosis in his 2017 memoir, Gorilla and the Bird. [2][1][3]

• McDermott has described becoming increasingly manic and sleeping less before his first psychotic episode. During the episode, he became convinced that he was the unwitting star of a reality television show and that people around him were actors. He was eventually taken to Bellevue Hospital. [1]
• He later experienced additional psychotic episodes, including one that was captured on video and later discussed on This American Life. [1]

• McDermott has described taking medication to manage bipolar disorder. He has said that he stopped medication at times because of severe side effects, but later emphasized the importance of remaining on medication and eventually found one that worked for him without side effects. [3]

• It took more than a year and several additional episodes before McDermott became stable. He came to recognize adequate sleep as particularly important and largely stopped performing stand-up, which had contributed to staying up late. [1]

• McDermott has used his memoir and public appearances to challenge stigma around bipolar disorder and psychosis. He has said that sharing his experiences has allowed him to hear from other people living with mental illness and from their families, and he has emphasized acceptance and hope in speaking about his own diagnosis. [4]
• Drawing on both his experience as a public defender and as a psychiatric patient, McDermott has also criticized the treatment of people with mental illness in the criminal justice system. He has argued for greater access to treatment, housing, and support rather than allowing people with serious mental illness to fall through the cracks. [3]

“Bipolar disorder is the best thing that ever happened to me.”

— Zack McDermott [4]