20 Celebrities Who Suffer from Depression

Depression is a mental health issue that affects anyone and everyone. Most people would wonder, how can you be a celebrity and be depressed? Unfortunately, the truth is that celebrities are one of the most affected parties despite all they seem to have. The fame, wonderful networking opportunities, and the money that comes with being a celebrity don’t stand a chance against the claws of depression, and the long list of affected individuals proves this fact. Some of the reasons include lack of time for oneself, pressure from the public to meet unrealistic expectations, and isolation. Depression often causes unusual changes in a person’s mood, energy, and ability to show up daily. Let’s look at the following celebrities who have suffered from depression.

1. Jim Carrey

The humorous Jim Carrey, whose career is known far and wide, opened up about his struggle with depression. Born to an ailing mother and an unemployed father, Jim found himself battling with life’s problems from very early on in his life. He received medical attention a number of times for several years before he turned to spirituality to help him cope with what he was going through. The Canadian-American comedian and actor talked about depression a while back, introducing a new perspective to mental illness. He believes that depression and sadness differ in terms of happenstance. He also adds that when one feels depressed, it’s very important to consider deep rest to let your mind reset from the unrealistic expectations you hold yourself to in the face of the world.

2. Anne Hathaway

Anne Hathaway is a modern love actress who has previously battled with anxiety. Since her teen years. Anne has struggled with the effects of depression. Anne admits to having experienced a number of anxiety attacks during the pandemic due to fear. During her adolescence, Anne struggled with depression but was adamant about not taking any medication, A decision she came to regret later on. The 36-year-old creative has been on the frontline, encouraging one to express their emotions. She points out that she decided to approach her depression with a sense of gentleness.

3. Cara Delevingne

Since her teenage years, Cara Delevingne was affected by feelings of depression which left her lonely and suicidal. Her story began back when she was a kid. She would often get mistaken for being a boy, which made her feel quite weird about herself. She also broke down at the age of 15 and dropped out of school to deal with her state of mind. Cara once opened up that she felt that her environment was not fully aware of the situation. The people around her couldn’t understand how a lucky person like her could suffer from feelings of inadequacy and the dark feelings that come from depression.

4. Kristen Bell

Kristen Bell is a popular actress from the famous show “The Good Place,” and she is one of the celebrities with depression. She has been quite open on mental health matters over the years, and one of her pieces of advice for anyone suffering from the same is not to let things fester. She also expressed that even in her recent years, she has battled anxiety and depression while studying, at home, and at the workplace too. According to Prevention, Kristen uses dark clouds as an analogy of her depression. She also refers to it as a complete and utter sense of sadness and isolation.

5. Adele

Adele has talked about her battle with depression several times. Like many others suffering from the same, she refers to it as her dark side. She also expressed that she tends to slip in and out of her depressive episodes quite easily. Adele also struggled with postpartum depression after the birth of her son, Angelo. She found herself attached to her baby while at the same time feeling like she was not a good enough mom. This was an impactful conversation as more mothers felt comfortable talking about the issue afterward.

6. Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie, actress and award winner, gave a brief insight into her battle with depression in an interview magazine a while back. She stated that she felt quite miserable for some time and attributed her feelings of depression to her California upbringing. Since she was a teen, Angelina Jolie engaged in destructive habits that constantly deteriorated her daily well-being and behaviors as time went on. Despite her immense success, she found herself ridden with guilt and emptiness. Fortunately, she joined a humanitarian group that gave her life new meaning and direction, saving her from the claws of depression.

7. Chrissy Teigen

Chrissy Teigen, cookbook author, cover girl, and wife to musician John Legend, experienced bouts of depression after the birth of her daughter, Luna. Postpartum depression is a discussion that people have begun taking seriously. According to Glamour, it affects one in every 9 women. She explained how her struggle with detachment and sadness messed around with her mental stability, dragging her down to the depths of depression. She kept the situation private, worried that not many would understand. Eventually, she sought help when she came to realize that her unhappiness was as a result of postpartum depression.

8. Johnny Depp

Hollywood’s actor, Johnny Depp, fought hard and long on his sobriety journey. Unfortunately, he fell prey to ADHD, depression, and chronic substance abuse. Johnny Depp admits that he had engaged in very destructive behaviors while growing up. The Pirates of the Caribbean movie star also pointed out that the issue persisted after his personal and professional life became complicated.

9. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

I know what you might be thinking. The Rock? Depressed? The beloved Dwayne Johnson once revealed how he suffered and survived years of depression. He experienced so much struggle and pain that all he could do was cry on a constant basis. Talking to a news outlet, he encouraged people who feel depressed or sluggish during their day-to-day activities to open up to someone who can help them with the issue before it becomes serious.

10. Taraji P. Henson

Oscar nominee, Taraji P. Henson, is a black actress popularly known for her role in the musical show “Empire.” Taraji spoke about the misconception of people who are in the limelight and how it’s usually perceived that they do not suffer from mental health issues because they look well put together and are moneyed. According to Essence, Taraji revealed that she sees a therapist for her battle with depression when she realizes she needs help. She is dealing with anxiety as well. She also advocates for people to reach out to their friends for help when things get bad again. Her efforts in reducing the stigma around mental health are a blessing to society.

11. Demi Lovato

Demi Lovato has openly dealt with depression and suicidal thoughts. The popular singer opened up with her struggle in hopes she could help her fans who might be struggling with the same. Her personal story is characterized by bipolar disorders, bulimia, drug addiction, and skin cutting. She began a campaign to foster the efforts against mental illness. Demi’s awareness of the issue also touches on addiction and sobriety.

12. Ellen DeGeneres

After Ellen announced that she was ending her talk show after 19 seasons, she came clean on how depression had begun to take a toll on her mental health. The fact that she is a comedian made it hard for her to admit that she was having a hard day as everyone expected her to be in a jovial and happy mood all the time. Speaking in an interview, she admitted that it has become hard for her to connect with feelings of sadness and anxiety because she was trying so hard to be a performer and entertain her fans. The 63-year-old comedian revealed that her instincts told her that it was time to take a solid break from the show, so she decided.

13. Prince Harry

Prince Harry revealed information on his battle with depression that began at 28 in an intimate interview. According to Marie Claire, he admitted to having been diagnosed with symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression symptoms. He did his best to consult therapists and doctors, especially after his relationship with Meghan blossomed. He then realized that he needed to make changes if he wanted to be fully equipped and stable to go forward with the relationship. He also disclosed that he had strong convictions to indulge in drugs and alcohol to deal with the situation.

14. Lady Gaga

One of the most famous pop stars, Lady Gaga, came out in an interview regarding her catatonic battle with depression. The singer expressed that her depression had been around for a few years. The difficult journey comprised feelings of despair, hopelessness, and the strong urge to become someone else. She slipped into a catatonic state where she wasn’t interested in doing anything. After this period, she turned to music to help her cope. Her album ‘Chromatica’ alludes to this and many more struggles she encountered on her mental health journey.

15. Eminem

Eminem has been a controversial artist for some time now. His art is considered raw and authentic in terms of what he goes through in his life. Eminem’s journey is characterized by struggles of drug addiction and weight gain. His depressive state also came with feelings of paranoia, which caused Eminem never to leave his home for a long period of time. During this time, he fell prey to painkillers and sleeping pills as a means to cope. According to The Guardian, this only worsened his depression. His downward spiral began. Along the way, he has lost some of his close friends to death and also lost his creative mojo. Fortunately, he was able to turn things around and began focusing on how to become sober.

16. Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow is one of the most known actresses in the industry. The mom of two opened up about her struggle with postnatal depression after giving birth to her son, Moses, in 2006. She explains that she went into a dark place and felt like she was slowly becoming a zombie. She realized that she was suffering from postnatal depression by googling her symptoms.

17. Michael Phelps

Michael Phelps is one of the most decorated Olympic swimming champions. He traces his depression back to the 2004 Olympic games. When he came back home, he experienced one of the worst bouts of post-Olympic depression. He continued to explain that it came in waves, often after the Olympic games. With time he became fully aware of what he was dealing with and started to seek professional help. This enabled him to deal with issues that he’d set aside. By sharing this side of him, he hopes to encourage people to be open to dealing with their struggles.

18. Kerry Washington

Kerry Washington, the star of “Scandal,” opened up about her struggle with depression and anxiety in a Twitter post. Her fans had become worried why she was almost always online during odd hours. She then admitted that she was having trouble sleeping. She also encouraged her fans to prioritize their mental health as much as they do their physical health. She also revealed that therapy goes a long way in restoring your health in all aspects, especially mentally.

19. J.K. Rowling

J.K Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, battled with depression in the early 1990s. Life had become tough, and she had experienced a terrible marriage that left her as a single mother who lived in a cold-water flat. According to Boston Evening Therapy Associates, she admits that during this time, she struggled with suicidal thoughts. The single mother was becoming exhausted as she was trying to get her book published. She used fiction, dementors, and dark creatures, to deal with her feelings of despair and unhappiness.

20. Channing Tatum

The famous and handsome actor Channing Tatum suffered severe bouts of depression that left him in quite a bad state. As a child, Channing was medicated for a learning disability known as Dyslexia. Side effects included wild bouts of depressive episodes and horrible comedowns. He joined therapy to help him cope with these episodes and encourages the importance of getting support once you realize you are struggling with depression.

Conclusion

Rich or poor, depression seems to be no one’s ally. Hopefully, now that people can see that celebrities also go through depression, the matter will be handled more delicately as it is a universal issue. Be sure to seek support when you experience distressing feelings and thoughts.

You can also read:

• 20 of Our Favorite Celebrities from Utah
• 20 Celebrities Who Claim to Have Seen UFOs
• 20 Famous Actors Who Have Won Grammys Too
• 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Mackenzie Edwards
• 10 Things You didn’t Know about Camila Morrone