(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Michael Douglas has become the carer to help his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones as she battles her bipolar disorder.

The Welsh actress is believed to have spent five days at the Silver Hill psychiatric hospital in Connecticut last week. Her decision came after a tough year for the actress, as her husband Michael Douglas was diagnosed with stage four throat cancer and his son was sent to jail. Now Michael is recovering from his treatment, he has been lavishing attention on Catherine after the stress became too much for her. The actor reportedly promised to take Catherine and their two children - Dylan, ten, and Carys, seven - on a round-the-world trip in a bid to boost her spirits.

"Catherine has been battling these problems for some time but held herself together for Michael. But after he was told his tumour had gone, it was time to deal with her issues, a source told British newspaper The Sun. "Just months after needing to be looked after around the clock, Michael became the carer.

"He has been treating Catherine to romantic dinners, spa treatments and lots of emotional support."

Even though Michael, 66, did his best to comfort Catherine, she decided to seek professional help last week for bipolar II disorder, a less extreme version of bipolar I.

Days before she checked into the facility the 41-year-old star is believed to have flown home to Wales to see her parents. She reportedly told Patricia and David about her mental health problems and they accompanied her back to New York to help look after the children and to maintain some sense of normality. (C) Cover Media