Believing the TV was speaking directly to you or hallucinating a gun on a table—this was the terrifying reality for world-renowned chef Heston Blumenthal. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2023, the culinary genius behind The Fat Duck experienced extreme mood swings, hallucinations, and suicidal thoughts before being sectioned under mental health care. What seemed like the darkest chapter of his life, however, turned out to be a turning point.

Blumenthal now calls being sectioned “the best thing that could have happened” to him, crediting it with saving his life. His journey from confusion and fear to self-awareness and advocacy sheds light on the complexities of bipolar disorder. As an ambassador for Bipolar UK, he now shares his experience to raise awareness, proving that even the most brilliant minds can struggle with mental health—and that seeking help is not a weakness, but a necessary step toward healing.

Celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal, who has been known for his experimental approach to cooking, has shared his own struggle with bipolar disorder. Diagnosed in 2023, 58-year-old Blumenthal has since emerged as an ambassador for Bipolar UK, making a point of using his public profile to help raise awareness and push for support for mental illness. His openness about having hallucinations and thoughts of suicide makes the extreme reach of the disease and the need to get treatment more clear.

Blumenthal initially made his diagnosis public in May 2023. Similar to many others who have bipolar disorder, he had extreme mood swings, from manic highs to depressive lows. His honesty about the condition has inspired thousands of people to open up to him about their own experiences.

In a recent interview, Blumenthal explained one of his most frightening symptoms: the feeling that his TV was talking to him. This type of hallucination is a common symptom of bipolar disorder and is both disorienting and distressing. Being open about such episodes helps normalize conversations about mental illness, still stigmatized in much of society.

Role of Family in Mental Health Support

Blumenthal's wife, Melanie Ceysson, was instrumental in his road to stability. It was she who eventually made the painful choice to have him sectioned, something that the chef now sees as life-saving. "If she hadn't done something about it, I wouldn't be here," he confessed in an interview. This indicates the important role that family and loved ones have in recognizing severe symptoms and intervening professionally when needed.

Being sectioned under mental health legislation is a severe step, yet for people going through intense manic or depressive attacks, it can save their lives and well-being. Blumenthal has admitted that being hospitalized was the "best thing that could have happened" to him, as it enabled him to access the medical treatment and stability he so urgently required.

What is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder is a severe mental illness involving sudden changes in mood, such as manic highs and depressive lows. These mood swings can persist for days or weeks and can interfere severely with one's everyday life.

There are a few types of bipolar disorder:

Bipolar I Disorder: Involving at least one complete manic episode, which may be followed by depressive episodes.

Bipolar II Disorder: Includes episodes of severe depression and hypomania, a less severe form of mania.

Rapid Cycling Bipolar Disorder: Characterized by four or more mood episodes in a year.

Cyclothymia: A milder but chronic type of bipolar disorder characterized by continuous mood variation.

Typical symptoms of mania are high energy, less need for sleep, rapid thoughts, impulsiveness, and excessive confidence. Depressive episodes, on the other hand, can cause persistent sadness, lethargy, feelings of worthlessness, and suicidal tendencies.

Causes and Triggers of Bipolar Disorder

Though the cause of bipolar disorder is still not known, studies indicate a mix of genetic, biological, and environmental reasons behind its development. People who have a history of bipolar disorder in their family are at increased risk, showing a strong hereditary connection. Differences in the structure and function of the brain have also been observed in those with the disorder. Environmental precipitants, including trauma, major life events, and persistent stress, may also trigger attacks.

Importance of Awareness and Treatment

The move by Blumenthal to go public about his diagnosis serves to highlight the need for awareness and intervention early. Bipolar disorder, when untreated, has cataclysmic effects, ranging from an added risk of suicide. Research points out that persons suffering from bipolar disorder have a significantly increased chance of suicide and self-injury than the average population.

Successful treatment usually involves a combination of medication, including mood stabilizers and antipsychotics, and therapy. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and lifestyle changes, including regular sleep patterns and stress management, can also assist individuals in controlling their condition successfully.

As a Bipolar UK ambassador, Blumenthal aims to leverage his position to shatter the stigma of mental illness and neurodiversity in the workplace. "I want to campaign to draw attention to how neurodiversity can enrich the workplace," he said. His efforts are vital in establishing inclusive workplaces where people with mental illness feel valued and supported.

The uncertainty around the Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine has been exacerbated by the Trump administration. The new government has imposed new requirements on the nation's only traditional protein-based vaccine. These new requirements have led to many confusions about vaccine updates, including other vaccines too, which await approval.

The Wait For Full Approval Is Too Long

Novavax is the maker of the protein-based COVID-19 vaccine, which was on track to receive full approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by April 1. However, the approval process was paused because of Dr Sara Brenner, the FDA's acting commissioner. The reason for delay has raised many questions about the interference, including political, especially after Dr Peter Marks, FDA's longtime vaccine chief had left following disagreements with Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. These events have further led to the apprehensions of uncertainty regarding the vaccine's future.

As of now, Novavax's vaccine is only authorized for emergency use. Unlike mRNA vaccines form Pfizer and Moderna, which have full approval, the Novavax vaccine holds the EUA or the Emergency Use Authorization, which allows it to be distributed during public health emergencies. However, once the emergency ends, the FDA can remove these vaccines from market unless full approval is granted.

What Caused The Delay?

The FDA had initially planned to approve Novavax's vaccine by its April 1 target date. However, sources familiar with the situation revealed that Trump appointees influenced the delay. Since then, Novavax has been in discussions with the FDA to determine additional requirements for approval. In the meantime, the FDA's recent comments have fueled concerns that Novavax’s vaccine may be treated as a “new product” due to its updates to match last year’s coronavirus strain. This would require new clinical trials, a process unlikely to be completed before the fall.

ALSO READ: Novavax Says FDA Approval Back on Track for Its COVID Vaccine

This approach to Novavax’s vaccine approval stands in stark contrast to the FDA’s treatment of the mRNA vaccines, where annual strain updates have been handled in a way similar to flu vaccines, requiring only small-scale tests to demonstrate the vaccine’s continued effectiveness against new strains. Dr. Paul Offit, a vaccine expert, argued that it would be unnecessary to treat these annual updates as “new products” requiring full trials, as long as the updated vaccines show that they produce protective antibody levels.

Role Of HHS Secretary

Of course Robert F Kennedy Jr will have a role to play, being the Health Secretary, and a known vaccine skeptic. Despite claiming in recent speeches that he is not anti-vaccine, Kennedy’s past associations with anti-vaccine groups have raised alarms. His nonprofit, Children’s Health Defense, has been involved in campaigns questioning vaccine safety, and Kennedy himself has made public statements suggesting that vaccines can cause autism—a long-debunked claim.

His actions have also contributed to the uncertainty that surrounds the Novavax's approval today and the overall direction of US vaccine policies.

Is Novavax Different From Other Vaccines?

What sets Novavax apart from other COVID-19 vaccines is its traditional approach. While Pfizer and Moderna’s mRNA vaccines use genetic instructions to create a temporary version of the virus’ spike protein, Novavax’s vaccine contains lab-grown copies of the spike protein itself. This approach has been used for decades in vaccines for diseases like hepatitis B and shingles, making it a more familiar method for people who may be hesitant about mRNA vaccines.

Danish multinational pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk has launched Wegovy in Thailand, marking the entry of its hugely popular weight loss drug in Southeast Asian market. First launched in 2021, Wegovy helped make Novo Nordisk Europe's most valuable listed company until recently, worth $615 billion at its peak. Wegovy is a semaglutide shot, which means that it is a GLP-1 receptor agonist.

"We actually received the Thai FDA approval already in 2023," said Enrico Canal Bruland, vice president and general manager of Novo's Thai subsidiary. He noted that Novo was making Wegovy available in Thailand ahead of rival Eli Lilly's Zepbound. Wegovy is currently available for prescription in private hospitals around the country and will be available soon in public hospitals. Notably, Bruland declined to provide details on Wegovy's pricing in Thailand, which has a population of around 66 million, or Novo Nordisk's plans for expansion into other Southeast Asian markets.

Notably, the most popular GLP-1 agonist Ozempic was also created by Novo Nordisk. Earlier this month, the pharma giant expanded its research in the field diabetes and weight loss drug and announced that its diabetes pill, Rybelsus, demonstrated cardiovascular benefits in a late-stage trial. The findings pave the way for the medication to become a new treatment option for people living with both diabetes and heart disease.

How Do Semaglutides Work?

Semglutide is the synthetic version of GLP-1—a natural hormone produced in the intestines that regulates blood sugar, appetite, and digestion. Now, every time you eat, your body produces various hormones, including GLP-1. These are called Post nutrition hormones, and help you absorb the energy you just consumed.

GLP-1 travels to your pancreas, prompting it to produce insulin. It also travels to the hypothalamus in your brain, which gives you the feeling of being full or satiated. Ozempic imitates this hormone, thereby, silencing the food chatter in the brain. Interestingly, for some people this food chatter is really quiet ( people with low appetite) and for others it is an outbrurst, (people who generally binge eat.) So with Ozempic, silencing this self-talk in the brain, people tend to lose their appetite and eventually weight.

However, it is important to note that losing weight includes not just fat but muscle as well. Losing too much muscle can lead to reduced strength and a shorter life span. Notably, records show that most people who start taking them stop it at 12 weeks; therefore, it is important for some but not for others.

Notably, last month, US pharma major Eli Lilly launched the obesity management drug Mounjaro in India at one-fifth of the US price. The company rolled out the drug in a single-dose vial following the marketing authorisation from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO). It has been priced at Rs 3,500 for a 2.5 mg vial and Rs 4,375 for a 5 mg vial. "It is a first-of-its-kind treatment for obesity, overweight, and type 2 diabetes that activates both GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) and GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) hormone receptors," the company said.

One moment, Dr Cornelius Sullivan was focused on a patient during surgery, and the next moment, he woke up in ambulance, headed to the emergency room.

According to the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), Dr Sullivan had struck his head on a monitor that had been moved behind him in a surgery center. This serious accident had resulted in a two-night hospital stay and kept him away from work for weeks. However, this is not the first time he had suffered a work-related injury. This is, in fact, the third time this has happened, noted ASA.

"Boom Strikes"

These injuries are often called "boom strikes". These occur when anesthesiologists accidentally bump into operating room (OR) equipment that is mounted on fixed or moveable arms. These could be monitors, lights, or screens.

While any OR staff member could be hurt this way, anesthesiologists are particularly more vulnerable to such injuries. Their work requires them to operate in tight, also, often crowded spaces. It also requires them to move quickly during emergencies, which further increases the risk of collision with equipment.

Why The Problem Is Growing?

As per ASA, the risk of boom strikes have been on the rise. This is also because of an increase in sophisticated equipment being added to operating rooms and surgeries are also now performed in much smaller spaces.

As per a survey conducted by the organization, it was found that more than half of anesthesiologists reported experiencing at least one work-related injury, including head injuries. These numbers have highlighted the growing concern over physical safety in an already demanding and high-pressure environment.

Can New Guidelines Improve Safety?

In response to these alarming findings, the ASA has issued a new Statement on Anesthesiologist Head Injuries in Anesthetizing Locations.

The statement formally recognizes boom strikes as a serious occupational hazard and even a potential medical emergency — especially dangerous during outpatient procedures or in cases where no backup anesthesiologist is immediately available to take over patient care.

Dr. Mary Ann Vann, chair of ASA's Ad Hoc Committee on the Physical Demands of Anesthesiologists, also experienced a work-related head injury. Drawing from personal experience, Dr. Vann helped develop the new safety recommendations, aimed at preventing such incidents.

What Have Been The Key Recommendations?

The ASA outlined several measures to reduce the risk of head injuries among anesthesiologists, including:

Holding Regular Safety Meetings: OR teams should meet frequently to discuss safety concerns and review past incidents.

Creating Safety Teams: Special teams should be tasked with reviewing and tracking reports of boom strikes to identify patterns and solutions.

Involving Anesthesia Staff in Room Planning: Clinical anesthesia personnel should have a voice when designing or rearranging procedure rooms to ensure equipment placement considers movement and space needs.

Tracking Head Injuries: Systematic documentation of head injuries can help health systems better understand causes and outcomes, leading to more informed prevention strategies.

The ASA emphasized that head injuries in the OR are not just minor accidents but events that can have serious consequences for patient safety and anesthesiologists’ health.

By implementing the new guidelines and raising awareness, the ASA hopes to make operating rooms safer environments for all medical professionals — and ensure that anesthesiologists can continue their vital work without unnecessary risk.