Celebrities who have Battled Mental Illness

Mental illness is far less stigmatized than it once was. A hundred years ago, anyone showing signs of mental illness was immediately shipped off to a sanatorium for questionable treatment. In those days, electric shock treatment and lobotomies were considered to be therapeutic.

Thankfully, we have moved on from those unenlightened times and these days, having a mental health issue will not lead to a forcible incarceration in a mental hospital. We can seek counselling online if we need to talk to someone, or consult a marriage counsellor if our relationship is on the rocks. Even famous celebrities are open about their mental health struggles. Many of them are happy to talk about their problems as a way of raising awareness about the issue. Here is a list of some of the best-known celebrities who have, or are still suffering from, mental health problems.

Kanye West

Kanye’s problems are very recent, but the signs he was struggling were there for a while. He is well known as a workaholic and control freak, so people like that often end up burning out and having a breakdown. They just don’t know when to call it quits. Kanye was admitted to hospital after having a psychotic episode caused by sleep deprivation, dehydration and stress. Hopefully, now he is having treatment (and a rest), he will be fine in a week or two.

Zayn Malik

Zayn Malik split from One Direction to forge a solo career. At the time, he said he wanted to spend time being a normal young man, away from the pressure of life in the spotlight. He was always the band member who struggled the most with fame, so it came as no surprise when he admitted he was suffering from serious anxiety problems. This admission came after he cancelled a concert at the last minute, citing anxiety as the reason. Anxiety is very hard to deal with, so we feel for him.

Catherine Zeta-Jones

Catherine Zeta-Jones has had a lot of stress over the years, but when her husband, Michael Douglas, was diagnosed with throat cancer, she went through a very bad period. She spent some time in a psychiatric hospital and later admitted she was bipolar.

Demi Lovato

Demi Lovato is another celebrity with bipolar. She struggled for many years with depression, bulimia and self-harming, but it wasn’t until she had a breakdown and went into treatment that she realized she had bipolar disorder. Since then, she has openly discussed her mental health problems as a way of raising public awareness, particularly in younger people.

Robin Williams

Robin Williams spent his whole life making other people laugh, but behind the ‘funnyman’ façade, he was suffering with depression, anxiety and paranoia. Tragically, he took his own life and the world lost an amazing comedian.

Other stars who have admitted to suffering with mental health issues include Lena Dunham, creator of the award-winning Girls show, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Angelina Jolie. It just goes to prove, mental illness doesn’t discriminate.