Depression is a mental illness that can be an undying struggle for many people living through it. There are so many aspects of life that depression can overtake and make difficult if not impossible, to the point that many people battling depression don’t survive the fight. We know of some celebrities and individuals that haven’t survived the fight. But what about the people that are still with us fighting this illness every day? Due to the massive stigma surrounding mental illness and struggling through depression, we don’t often hear much about these people. Well, here are some of the famous living people who have battled depression or still do to give you some perspective on the issue.
Kristen Bell
This beautiful actress is well known for many of her major roles in television and movies, but she also has shamelessly spoken up about her battle with depression and anxiety. Bell spoke up about having been on medication for this struggle for a long time, and that it shouldn’t be seen as something to be ashamed of or that makes anyone lesser than others. Her struggle is genetic and her mother and grandmother have dealt with similar issues due to a serotonin imbalance.
Cara Delevingne
Cara Delevingne found fame and money by the age of 15 with her signings in many modeling opportunities, but at the time had many struggles with depression and more. She spoke up about this issue and how she tried therapy and medication but turned to harmful habits as well as how she finally managed to fight. She said she had a moment where she had to decide whether she loved herself or dying. And the choice she made pivoted how she moved forward after.
Eminem
A rapper with a massive fan base but plenty of struggles, Eminem spoke up about his battle with depression in his memoir. Focusing mainly on the year 2006 when he was struggling with the deaths of loved ones as well as his relationship with his ex-wife and his children, Eminem was candid about this dark time and how much it got to him. It was hard for him to even get out of bed at times, but he also speaks about how he coped and keeps going.
Angelina Jolie-Pitt
Angelina Jolie has had so much fame throughout her career and is now a mother, but she has also chosen to be very open and honest about her mental health struggles throughout her life. The actress fought depression as a teenager to extremes of self-harm and more, and she has since had to fight this struggle again in more recent times with the loss of her mother. She spoke about how being a mother helped her as well as how she worked through her struggles via roles and activity.
Michael Phelps
Phelps is another important example that fame and success doesn’t always fix you or even mean much when you’re struggling mentally. He has opened up about his struggles with depression that caused him to feel unsure and push people in his life away. This resulted in unhealthy coping methods such as alcohol, and eventually, he came to a point where he recognized his need for help and went into rehab. Michael has been recovering well with the help of rehab and others.
These aren’t the only individuals under the public eye that have struggled with this major mental illness, but it helps those struggling with similar issues or with other mental illnesses feel less alone to know that there are people out there even in the top individuals that can have the same difficulties. Whether you’ve struggled with your own mental illness or know someone that has, learning more about others with similar experiences can be a great addition to your knowledge or a way to feel more empathized with the issue. Mental illness is something that is so normal for many people regardless of their status, so bringing awareness to its presence can be so helpful and healthy.