Recently, celebrities such as Selena Gomez and Zayn Malik have opened up about having a mental illness.
Selena Gomez revealed that she has been dealing with anxiety and depression because of her Lupus diagnosis. As a result, she cancelled her Revival World Tour to focus on her mental health.
“I want to be proactive and focus on maintaining my health and happiness and have decided that the best way forward is to take some time off,” the singer said to People.
This summer, Zayn Malik also cancelled a concert at the Capital Summertime Ball. Zayn turned to Twitter to make his announcement, “With the magnitude of the event, I have suffered the worst anxiety of my career.” He continued, “I know those who suffer anxiety will understand and I hope those who don’t can empathize with my situation.”
Having a mental illness is common among adults, and celebrities are not excluded. According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness, 1 in 5 adults experience a mental illness in a given year, and at least 18 percent of adults experience an anxiety disorder.
Unfortunately, people living with a mental illness also confess to experiencing stigma that comes with feelings of shame and distress, according to the Western Australian Mental Health Commission.
With celebrities, that stigma is even greater, as their every move is closely watched by the public.
That is why celebrities are working to challenge the stigma by starting conversations regarding mental health.
On July 25, Demi Lovato discussed the importance of talking about mental health in her speech at the Democratic National Convention. She states, “Like millions of Americans, I am living with mental illness.” Demi Lovato made an important claim stating that many times, mental illness goes untreated due to lack of resources, and fear of negative stigma.
Celebrities who share that they have a mental illness are a role model for fans who suffer with a mental illness. People have high expectations for them to be strong, confident, and positive all the times, but that is an unreasonable request to ask of anyone.
Just like everyone else, celebrities might have to deal with a serious mental illness.
Stars such as Adele, Emma Stone, and Kristen Stewart, have opened up about their mental health issues as well. This just shows how anyone can be living with a mental illness, from the biggest celebrities, to someone on the street, no one is immune.