In an interview with IGN, former WWE women’s wrestler AJ Lee (AJ Mendez Brooks) commented on a variety of topics, including the revelation on television that she was bipolar.

“The really cool thing is I call it my superpower because I think there are other level abilities that come with having something… Some people might think it’s an illness but sometimes it does feel like an extra ability. I think when it’s a part of you, you can see it in other people. I think the fans saw it through the television. And I would see them outside the stands and they’d confide in me about their anxiety, about cutting themselves, about their suicide attempt, and [how] seeing my character on TV made them feel less alone.

As that happened more and more, I realized it was my responsibility to embrace that and be open to them and let them know that they weren’t wrong and they were seeing something that was very similar in me. They could see right through to my soul. So to connect with fans and be even more open was very important to me. Even the fans, I can remember their faces at the signings. I want them to know that we’re similar in that way.”

The interview is available in full at this link.