I was lucky to grow up with several celebrity role models who are open about their mental health in order to support fans with similar struggles. Elton John, J. K. Rowling, Carrie Fisher, and Ryan Tedder make it clear that seeking help for mental health is nothing to be ashamed of.
Elton John
Elton John had bulimia for sixteen years before he sought help. Eating disorders are more commonly associated with women, but about 40% of binge eaters and 25% of people with anorexia and bulimia are men. In an interview with Larry King, he said that just being able to say the words “I need help” made him realize he could and would get better. While suffering with an eating disorder, he also had a cocaine addiction, which he believes made his eating disorder even worse. He has been clean and sober for many years, but he remains open about his experiences to encourage others. Because he is vocal about his eating disorder, he inspired public awareness of the effects eating disorders have on men.
J. K. Rowling
J. K. Rowling suffered from depression after divorcing her first husband and raising her newborn daughter as a single mother. She described depression as “numbness, a coldness and an inability to believe you will feel happy again. All the color drained out of life.” She created beings in the Harry Potter books based on her depression, dementors, who made the world go cold and had the ability to suck out souls. She still advocates to end stigmas for depression and mental illness in general, and reaches out to fans on Twitter to encourage them.
Ryan Tedder
The lead vocalist of OneRepublic and the songwriter behind many famous songs recently opened up about his struggle with anxiety in a Facebook post. The stress of constantly touring and promoting singles and albums for the band led him to being “on the verge of a nervous breakdown, not sleeping, on meds, not happy, anxiety on a crippling level and it was triggered from sheer exhaustion.” He made the decision to stop the albums and promotions in order to slow down, and release music when the band feels ready and happy with what they are producing.
Carrie Fisher
Carrie Fisher was an actress, most famously known for playing Princess Leia in the Star Wars franchise. She passed away in December 2016, but her openness about her mental health continues to inspire people. She suffered from bipolar disorder with symptoms including inability to sleep, racing thoughts, and mood swings. She said in an interview with Diane Sawyer, “I am mentally ill. I can say that. I am not ashamed of that. I survived that, I’m still surviving it, but bring it on.”