Many celebrities admitting to bouts of depression...

Thoughts_ArriveThoughts_Arrive Posts: 15,165
edited May 2011 in All Encompassing Trip
I keep reading news articles on celebrities telling of their experience with depression.

Latest: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainme ... 6051450008

It is getting a bit ridiculous, are they seriously depressed or were they just feeling sad over a broken relationship or other problems I ask myself.
It is like it fashionable to admit to having or had depression.
Thoughts?
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Post edited by Unknown User on
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  • pjfan31pjfan31 Posts: 7,331
    You know, I think it is more common than most of us think... People don't want to admit it. I know several people who have battled it at some stage in there lives... I think it is a real issue that affects a lot of people, and affects people who don't want to admit it for whatever reason.

    I think it is good celebrities admit it. Cause someone who keeps it bottled up, sees someone else admit to it can save/improve lives
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  • pjfan31pjfan31 Posts: 7,331
    BTW, how can he be classified as a celeb? The most famous thing he did was get caught with drugs wasnt it?
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  • Thoughts_ArriveThoughts_Arrive Posts: 15,165
    pjfan31 wrote:
    BTW, how can he be classified as a celeb? The most famous thing he did was get caught with drugs wasnt it?

    He is a model and son of former Victorian premier Steve Bracks.

    Real depression (clinical) is when you are depressed for no reason, there is nothing in your life that could be making you feel that way, it is all in the brain chemicals.

    Then there is the other temporary depression, break ups, lose your job etc.
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  • pjfan31pjfan31 Posts: 7,331
    pjfan31 wrote:
    BTW, how can he be classified as a celeb? The most famous thing he did was get caught with drugs wasnt it?

    He is a model and son of former Victorian premier Steve Bracks.

    Real depression (clinical) is when you are depressed for no reason, there is nothing in your life that could be making you feel that way, it is all in the brain chemicals.

    Then there is the other temporary depression, break ups, lose your job etc.


    Yeh, I'm well aware of the various depression, and yeah, plenty of people I know, and people who I have been surprised to hear...
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  • zarocatzarocat Posts: 1,901
    I keep reading news articles on celebrities telling of their experience with depression.

    Latest: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainme ... 6051450008

    It is getting a bit ridiculous, are they seriously depressed or were they just feeling sad over a broken relationship or other problems I ask myself.
    It is like it fashionable to admit to having or had depression.
    Thoughts?

    You don't choose to have actual depression.
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  • JaneNYJaneNY Posts: 4,438
    I keep reading news articles on celebrities telling of their experience with depression.

    Latest: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainme ... 6051450008

    It is getting a bit ridiculous, are they seriously depressed or were they just feeling sad over a broken relationship or other problems I ask myself.
    It is like it fashionable to admit to having or had depression.
    Thoughts?

    There's so much stigma attached to having ANY kind of mental illness, but maybe if more well known people acknowledge and talk about it, it could help reduce the amount of stigma. Who in their right mind would say they had depression if they didn't. And perception is reality to a person - if you feel you are depressed, then you are. How can someone else tell you you're not if you feel you are? I can't think this is a condition anyone would choose.
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  • Thoughts_ArriveThoughts_Arrive Posts: 15,165
    zarocat wrote:
    I keep reading news articles on celebrities telling of their experience with depression.

    Latest: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainme ... 6051450008

    It is getting a bit ridiculous, are they seriously depressed or were they just feeling sad over a broken relationship or other problems I ask myself.
    It is like it fashionable to admit to having or had depression.
    Thoughts?

    You don't choose to have actual depression.

    meow, I know that.
    It's just that all of a sudden everyone has it or has had it.
    Adelaide 17/11/2009, Melbourne 20/11/2009, Sydney 22/11/2009, Melbourne (Big Day Out Festival) 24/01/2014
  • zarocat wrote:
    I keep reading news articles on celebrities telling of their experience with depression.

    Latest: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainme ... 6051450008

    It is getting a bit ridiculous, are they seriously depressed or were they just feeling sad over a broken relationship or other problems I ask myself.
    It is like it fashionable to admit to having or had depression.
    Thoughts?

    You don't choose to have actual depression.

    meow, I know that.
    It's just that all of a sudden everyone has it or has had it.

    I doubt it's all of a sudden people have it. It's more likely a case of people coming out and admitting it, as the stigma attached to it is weakening. I have pretty bad depression/anxiety. been on meds for a long time now. no reason for it. my life rocks. but my mind tells me it sucks sometimes.
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  • justamjustam Posts: 21,408
    I think perhaps the reason we're hearing about celebrity depression in THE NEWS is that people are surprised that celebrities are depressed.

    They're surprised because they have the mistaken idea that if someone has the external gifts of physical beauty and financial success that they ought to be happy. The idea that having good looks and money will make people happy is the myth that people are being fed on a daily basis!!

    So, when people who have these gifts find themselves still unhappy, not only is the public surprised but they themselves are probably confused about it as well. The actual news in this situation is that happiness is not related to these external things!!

    That's my opinion. :? :P
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  • you are absolutely right. I can't for the life of me figure out why people are surprised that "having it all" is in no way related to how happy one is.

    Kurt Cobain is a very good example of this. Or any other celebrity that has committed suicide.
    justam wrote:
    I think perhaps the reason we're hearing about celebrity depression in THE NEWS is that people are surprised that celebrities are depressed.

    They're surprised because they have the mistaken idea that if someone has the external gifts of physical beauty and financial success that they ought to be happy. The idea that having good looks and money will make people happy is the myth that people are being fed on a daily basis!!

    So, when people who have these gifts find themselves still unhappy, not only is the public surprised but they themselves are probably confused about it as well. The actual news in this situation is that happiness is not related to these external things!!

    That's my opinion. :? :P
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  • stargirl69stargirl69 Posts: 6,387
    I suspect there are just as many famous people battle with all aspects of mental health and illness.What I object to is the way the media portrays them as "brave" "courageous" or whatever condescending disingenuous terminology they use.
    I read an article about Catherine Zeta Jones "battle" (the journalist described it as that) with Bi-Polar Disorder and the "expert" stated she was "very worried about her" ... this baffled me,the expert has never met her,doesn't know her so I wonder how can she be very worried about her? As humans we feel empathy for others but do we "worry" about people we don't know?
    There are many ordinary non famous people live their lives everyday with their mental health disorders and we don't hear them described as brave.
    Everyone with any form of mental health illness or disorder deserves to be treated with dignity and respect but I know from deep personal experience,my own and others closest to my heart that we need to be treated fairly and equally regardless of fame or wealth.
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  • fifefife Posts: 3,327
    I was diagnosed clinically depressed about 10 months ago and so many people advice for me was just to go and do something fun. if a celebrity can bring more attention to what depression is and what happens to a person than i think its great that they come out.
  • ledveddermanledvedderman Posts: 7,761
    fife wrote:
    I was diagnosed clinically depressed about 10 months ago and so many people advice for me was just to go and do something fun. if a celebrity can bring more attention to what depression is and what happens to a person than i think its great that they come out.

    Agreed. I was diagnosed as having bipolar I about 10 minths ago. I know people may give Zeta Jones shit, but we have no idea what's going on w/ her. I think it's perfectly fine for someone to say they are worried about someone with depression of bi-polar disorder. Sometimes I still think that I have everything under control and then I can OD on sleeping pills and painkillers just in the last week. It doesn't always have to do with needing attention, it's just something in your brain takes over. I know in my heart that I want to grow old to see my son grow up, my brain tells me otherwise sometimes, and that's where it gets scary.

    Depression and bi-polar are very serious. If a celebrity brings attention to it...good. I don't care if they're faking it and it brings attention to it. I think it's fucked up if they are, but the stigma attached to it is hard to get over.
  • RKCNDYRKCNDY Posts: 31,013
    edited May 2011
    EDIT: what I have to say about my own experiences, does not belong on a silly forum

    I commend ANY and ALL people that will admit to being taken by this horrible disorder. The more people/celebrities that do, the more it will be understood and accepted.
    Post edited by RKCNDY on
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  • Chip McFlenniganChip McFlennigan Posts: 1,162
    Being rich and famous is tough. I know I'd be bummed out if I got treated like a king everywhere I went, and had enough money to do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted to do it.

    Glad I make a decent wage dealing in human misery. No depression here.
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  • ledveddermanledvedderman Posts: 7,761
    Being rich and famous is tough. I know I'd be bummed out if I got treated like a king everywhere I went, and had enough money to do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted to do it.

    Glad I make a decent wage dealing in human misery. No depression here.

    That's really close minded, man. Seriously.
  • Chip McFlenniganChip McFlennigan Posts: 1,162
    You're right.

    If only these poor celebrities had access to some sort of counseling or therapy.

    They probably can't afford it, though, given their usually meager salaries. I mean, shit, have you seen MTV Cribz (tm)?
    I knew it all along, see?
  • ledveddermanledvedderman Posts: 7,761
    You're right.

    If only these poor celebrities had access to some sort of counseling or therapy.

    They probably can't afford it, though, given their usually meager salaries. I mean, shit, have you seen MTV Cribz (tm)?

    What makes you think that counseling and medications are some golden cure? Do you have any idea how hard it is to get on the right medication? The pure hell you put yourself through to get everything in balance. I could get famous tomorrow and be the biggest star in the world, but I'll still be bi-polar
  • fifefife Posts: 3,327
    You're right.

    If only these poor celebrities had access to some sort of counseling or therapy.

    They probably can't afford it, though, given their usually meager salaries. I mean, shit, have you seen MTV Cribz (tm)?

    So just because us as a society decide that they are worth that much money means that they should just be happy and shut up. i hate the perception that rich people should not complain and be happy. that like me saying to poor people in the west that they should be happy cause it worse to be poor in some poor country.
  • 12345AGNST112345AGNST1 Posts: 4,906
    Celebrities are just people..... they're not some sort of magical being that is immune to sadness and just sucks in money. They're not better looking just because they were in a movie either, (there are much hotter girls on the street than most celebrity chicks). But yea of course they get depressed, how is this even news?
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  • tinkerbelltinkerbell Posts: 2,161
    Statistics here estimate 1 in 5 people suffer from some form of mental illness at some stage in their lives. I have struggled with depression and post natal depression and have only recently been able to admit it. Even with the publicity there is still a stigma, which is stupid. There was an article in the news a while ago about the links with mental illness in celebrities, the pressure and the loss of control over their own lives can affect people in all sorts of ways.
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  • Thoughts_ArriveThoughts_Arrive Posts: 15,165
    My only concern is if everyone is admitting to depression then it becomes less serious or is taken less seriously.
    If you know what I mean?
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  • My only concern is if everyone is admitting to depression then it becomes less serious or is taken less seriously.
    If you know what I mean?

    no it doesn't become less serious. it becomes more in the public eye, and less stigmatized. people learn to not judge someone for being "sad". at least some people learn that. yeah, I'm talking to you, Johnny.
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  • The JugglerThe Juggler Posts: 48,595
    they should find a regular 9-5 job. i hear graveyard shifts are pretty brutal.
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  • Thoughts_ArriveThoughts_Arrive Posts: 15,165
    they should find a regular 9-5 job. i hear graveyard shifts are pretty brutal.

    and they don't allow you to express yourself through art.
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  • tinkerbelltinkerbell Posts: 2,161
    they should find a regular 9-5 job. i hear graveyard shifts are pretty brutal.

    and they don't allow you to express yourself through art.

    Be nice boys!
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  • Chip McFlenniganChip McFlennigan Posts: 1,162
    Being depressed is cool these days. When I was young, we worried more about killing Commies and less about each others' feelings. World was better in those days.
    I knew it all along, see?
  • Thoughts_ArriveThoughts_Arrive Posts: 15,165
    Genuinely depressed or just an excuse for bad behaviour?

    http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/e ... 6055085489
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  • Being depressed is cool these days. When I was young, we worried more about killing Commies and less about each others' feelings. World was better in those days.

    ignorant.
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  • Genuinely depressed or just an excuse for bad behaviour?

    http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/e ... 6055085489

    depression can lead to self-destructive behaviour. believe me, I know. it is NOT an excuse for bad behaviour.
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