Celebrity Mental Health Champions

Be dedicated to change the way in which people see mental illness at all levels of society. If not for yourself, advocate for those who are struggling in silence.

Germany Kent

If you’ve followed my blog for any length of time, you’ll know that the global pandemic left me with mental health problems. I still use my Headspace App and I occasionally see my counsellor, in fact this week was one of those occasions. It was a good session with the excellent counsellor I have giving me some new Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, CBT, exercises to help when things aren’t okay. The other thing it reminded me was, it’s good to talk about the issues I face, get things off my chest rather than bottling it up waiting for it to get to a head.

It's why I’m always in awe of celebrities who take the time to talk about their demons, their problems. Mental health is still stigmatised in our society however, it’s getting better thanks to these high-profile individuals who put their careers at stake to talk about their mental health in what ever guise it takes.

Truth is, 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem at some point in their lives. Young or old, male or female, rich or poor, it's much more common than society is prepared to admit. Mental illness does not discriminate. Celebrities speaking out about their experiences of mental illness are helping to raise awareness of the topic and de-stigmatise the issue.

Here’s four celebs that have taken the time to talk about their mental health in it’s specific guise, I’m not going to go into great depth however, if any of these issues feel familiar, they’re four individuals that have spoken out about their illnesses and I’m sure you can find more on line;

Rio Ferdinand – Depression

2.6 in every 100 people will experience Depression each year. This icon of premiership football famously lost his wife at a very young age; “A network of people around you is so important and I was fortunate to have that, and also having my kids as inspiration to make sure I get up and do things and try and make things work. Some people aren’t afforded that, some people haven’t got that, and that’s when I started to become a bit more sympathetic when people do go to dark places.”

Stephen Fry – Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar Disorder affects 1-3 in every 100 people at some point in their lives. Stephen Fry was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder at the age of 37, following experience of mental health problems for most of his life. He describes his Bipolar Disorder as “massive highs and miserable lows” and manages his mental illness by identifying key triggers such as alcohol and frequent long haul travel and thus makes positive changes to his lifestyle in order to manage his condition effectively.

Adele – Anxiety

Anxiety affects 4.7 in every 100 people each year. Grammy award-winning artist Adele suffers from anxiety and panic attacks which have previously prevented her from performing at large music festivals. Adele manages her condition by gradually exposing herself to her fears. We have since seen her give an amazing performance at Glastonbury as headline act having previously declined to play there.

Demi Lovato – Self harm

3 in every 100 people experience self-harm each year. Issues such as a lack of self-confidence and pressure pushed the child star to self-harm. “There were times I felt so anxious, almost like I was crawling out of my skin – that if I didn’t do something physical to match the way I felt inside, I would explode”. Demi Levato sought professional help and manages her condition by ensuring that she makes time for herself and meditates. “In order to manage the issue, you have to commit to yourself, mind and soul and remain positive throughout the recovery process.”

What’s on this week?