Taylor Tomlinson on Incorporating Her Bipolar Diagnosis Into Her Act: 'I'm a Personal Comedian' (Exclusive)

“I'm a personal comedian and I talk about what's going on in my life,” the ‘After Midnight’ host tells PEOPLE

As a standup comedian, Taylor Tomlinson is sharing why she’s so transparent about her bipolar diagnosis in her act.

The 30-year-old After Midnight host opened up to PEOPLE about being a “personal comedian” and feeling comfortable enough to incorporate discussions of her mental health on stage.

In her last Netflix special, Look At You, she joked about coping with her diagnosis by reminding herself that Selena Gomez has bipolar disorder too, admitting that she typically tries to make her personal experiences funny for herself.

“I'm a personal comedian and I talk about what's going on in my life, and that's what was going on in my life,” Tomlinson tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue. “At first I was like, ‘Oh, I'm not going to share this.’ And then I'm on the road and I'm like, ‘Nah, maybe I'll just try one joke about it.’ And then that works, and you're like, ‘Okay, well, I do have more to say about it.’”

“Everybody has their own personal style, their own personal approach, and yeah, that just happens to be mine,” she continues. “I think you write the way you write, I don't think that you necessarily get to choose what type of creative person you are. I think you... At least for me, I feel like it's always been like, ‘Okay, this is how my brain works.’”

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Related: Taylor Tomlinson Felt 'Embarrassed' About Her Bipolar Diagnosis, Took a 'Long Time to Accept' It

Bipolar disorder is a manic-depressive illness of the brain that causes extreme changes in mood and energy levels, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

There are four basic types of the disorder, which are characterized by periods of elation and hyper-activity known as manic episodes, which are then followed by depressive stages where the patient experiences feelings of sadness and depression.

Patients will often experience intense emotions as well as disruption in sleep patterns and their ability to think clearly. These periods can last for an extended time — days or even weeks — with no clear way of predicting when one period will end and another will begin. This can cause patients to have difficulty at work, school or in maintaining their relationships.

It's estimated that nearly 6 million Americans have some form of the disorder, including celebrities such as Kanye West, Bebe Rexha, and Mariah Carey, who have previously opened up about their experiences.

Tomlinson will continue to be candid about her mental health in her upcoming third Netflix special, Have It All, which hits the streaming platform on Feb. 13.

For more on Taylor Tomlinson, pick up this week's issue of PEOPLE on newsstands Friday.

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