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Carrie Fisher was 'delusional' during bipolar breakdown

Mar 14, 2013, 17:02 GMT

Carrie Fisher

Carrie Fisher was 'delusional' and 'trying to survive' during her recent bipolar episode.

The 'Star Wars' actress has spoken of the scary incident during a performance aboard the Holland American Eurodam cruise ship last month - where she alarmed guests by slurring her words, stumbling on stage and chasing her dog - and while drugs or alcohol were suspected as the root of her unusual behaviour, she explained that the breakdown was caused by her constant battle with bipolar disorder.

In an interview with People magazine, she asserted, 'I wasn't drunk', before adding: 'I was in big trouble. I know it got bad. I was in a very severe manic state, which bordered on psychosis. Certainly delusional. I wasn't clear what was going on. I was just trying to survive.'

The 56-year-old star has suffered from the disorder since the age of 20 and blamed the episode on a problem with her medication, along with her sleep cycle being affected by the cruise.

Carrie sought psychiatric treatment at the UCLA hospital in Los Angeles, California, for five days after the incident and later checked into a hospice where she had her medication changed.

She said: 'I needed to be there in the hospital.

'The only lesson for me or anybody is that you have to get help. It's not a neat illness. It doesn't go away.'

The actress is currently recuperating at home and is widely rumoured to be reprising her iconic role as Princess Leia in J.J. Abrams' eagerly anticipated new 'Star Wars' film.