Actress Rene Russo has revealed her battle with bipolar disorder since she was a child during a taping of "The Queen Latifah Show" on Monday.

The 60-year-old actress appeared on the talk show program with actor Jake Gyllenhaal to promote their new crime thriller film "Nightcrawler."

Like Us on Facebook

In a preview video clip, Russo started opening up about her lifelong struggle with bipolar after host Queen Latifah asked them to reveal something they had to "push through" to take their lives "one step further."

"Bipolar medication," bared the "Lethal Weapon" actress to which Gyllenhaal countered, "She's got me beat!"

"My mom said my whole childhood... was pretty much stop and go," Russo continued.

"And then I stopped and was like, 'Whoa,' that was it for me. I didn't really expect to say this, but that was really it for me," she added.

When asked by Latifah on how she came to that "realization and decided to act on it" by taking medication, Russo replied: "I literally crashed and hit a wall and couldn't get out of bed."

"I thought it was a depression, but if you take antidepressants it speeds you up more," she added.

"I haven't shared this," Russo admitted.

"But I think it's kind of important. I have some friends who don't want to go on medication and they are suffering," the actress continued.

Bipolar disorder, formerly called manic depression, is a mental illness that brings severe high and low moods and changes in sleep, energy, and behavior.

People who have bipolar disorder can have periods in which they feel overly happy and energized and other periods of feeling very sad, sluggish, and hopeless.

Clearly moved by Russo's bravery, Latifah said: "Thank you so much for sharing that. That can really help some people."

Then, Latifah and Russo together concluded by saying "it's okay" as they encourage others suffering from the disease to seek help and get medication if they need it.

"It's not easy but you will make it through," the actress added.

Russo is not the only Hollywood celebrity to suffer from the disorder.

Actress Catherine Zeta-Jones and singer Demi Lovato had also been vocal about their struggles with bipolar disorder.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, roughly 2.6 percent of Americans have a form of bipolar disorder.

Meanwhile, Latifah's full interview with Russo and Gyllenhaal will be aired in the United States on October 30.

On the other hand, "Nightcrawler," which is about a career-hungry young man, who discovers the nocturnal world of Los Angeles crime journalism, opens in theaters across the United States and United Kingdom on October 31.

TagsRene Russo, Jake Gyllenhaal, Queen Latifah, Nightcrawler, Bipolar, mental illness, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Demi Lovato, The Queen Latifah Show