Celebrities’ Insights on Mental Health
Like Shawn Mendes who wrote “In My Blood” about his struggle with anxiety, increasing numbers of celebrities and other public figures are discussing their own or family members’ mental health conditions and experiences with treatment. Their disclosures can lessen stigma, inspire important discussions about mental health and encourage individuals to seek help.
“I didn’t talk to anyone about it. I was very reluctant…Four of my friends felt the same way I did, and everyone was too embarrassed to talk about it.” Adele
“You just have to do the next right thing. You just stand up. That’s the next right thing. Then you brush your teeth. That’s the next right thing. I’m very one-step-at-a-time.” Kristen Bell
“When it comes to mental health issues, so many of us feel as if we have to do something to solve someone’s problem…Sometimes the best thing you can do is just listen.” Sterling K. Brown
“Remember…with friends or family with mental illness, that your expectations and their prog[r]ess will always be separate. It’s easy to become frustrated when dealing with someone you’re so familiar with but it’s integral to their growth that you are patient & supportive.” Chance the Rapper
“My advice would be to talk to people. Don’t feel alone in it. Treat your body as if you are another person that you need to take care of and heal.” Felicia Day
“At times, being bipolar can be an all-consuming challenge, requiring a lot of stamina and even more courage, so if you’re living with this illness and functioning at all, it’s something to be proud of, not ashamed of. They should issue medals along with…medication.” Carrie Fisher
“The problem with mental illness is people don’t look at it as a physical illness. When you think about it, the brain is actually the most complex organ in your body. We need to treat it like a physical illness and take it seriously.” Demi Lovato
“Therapy is the most gangster thing anybody can do for themselves…[It] is the most powerful move that you can make that will help you heal, solve, or alleviate the stress and struggles of the battles with depression…Even if you have no idea what it means to be anorexic, or have anxiety, or be an alcoholic…, or have OCD, the coolest thing you can say is, ‘If there is anything I can do to help you, please let me know.’ If you remove the guilt and shame, you remove the pain.” Darryl “D.M.C” McDaniels