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Mental health is in the headlines coming out of Hollywood as Jonah Hill, actor, writer, and director, has taken a step back from promoting his films as it triggers anxiety in him. This, along with his work, which now often includes links to mental health themes, brings a spotlight on these issues.
Actors are often contractually obliged to promote their movies or shows around the time of release by participating in talk shows, podcasts, and other types of media events. Jonah is no stranger to this as he has been doing it for his movies and shows for nearly 20 years now.
Yet for him, he has had to pay a price by grappling with mental health issues in these 20 years, especially anxiety. Something that should be one of the least stressful parts of his role as a thespian caused turmoil for years and he didn't even realize its effects.
Anxiety affects nearly 20% of Americans, and Jonah faced anxiety attacks whenever he had to appear to promote his work, either in front of an audience or through other media. In an open letter, he has stated that he will be staying away from such events for a while as they affect his psychological well-being.
He also stated that he hopes that his example will inspire others suffering anxiety or other mental health illnesses to reduce the pressure on themselves and do what's right for their own sake.
One of his upcoming projects is about his own struggles with psychological issues and he wishes to highlight the information and tools he acquired in therapy so that it can help others.
Celebrities with Mental Health Issues
Justin Bieber is another celebrity who has been in the spotlight since his early teenage years and has remained firmly in the public consciousness. Like Jonah Hill, he has not been afraid to open up about how he struggled with personality-related issues and substance abuse.
Justin Bieber has described his struggles with depression despite the possible ridicule of men with mental illnesses. He says he doesn't consider it a weakness and encourages people to fight and overcome their situation by either taking medication or undergoing therapy.
He has been addicted to substances like marijuana, MDMA, and magic mushrooms and has revealed to his fans how he fought off and rehabilitated himself.
Kristen Bell has been a long-term advocate for mental health awareness and has fought against the adverse perception that surrounds mental health support. She firmly believes that mental health check-ups should be considered the same as visiting a doctor for any other ailment.
She has been candid about her struggles with depression and anxiety and how they have disrupted her work and her role as a parent. She says her strategy is to take on issues right away rather than allow them to fester.
Demi Lovato has faced personality issues like bipolar disorder, bulimia, and substance abuse. She has been vocal about her coping strategies, in the hope that it would encourage people to be frank about what is bothering them and seek appropriate help.
About 5.7 million Americans, including Demi Lovato, have bipolar disorder, but like her, it may take years for many to receive the correct diagnosis. She would struggle with her manic episodes and the eventual low periods without understanding what was causing them.
This led her to self-medicate using various substances which caused addiction issues. She now uses medication, therapy, and a regimented diet and exercise routine to keep her illnesses at bay.
Just as John Hamm was on top of the world, he nearly came crashing down due to his chronic depression. After wrapping up his hugely successful role on the hit show Mad Men, John had the world at his feet but developed depression as a long-term relationship ended leaving him bitter.
John admits it was a difficult period of his life where he started drinking excessively, but he rebounded. He emphasized how therapy and antidepressants played a major role in his recovery. He also attributes his success in overcoming his mental health issues to having a structured life.
Postpartum depression is a serious medical issue, even in men, and negatively impacts the quality of life. Courtney Cox, the actress, could not identify the problem and suffered silently after the birth of her first child. It was much later that the diagnosis was made and she got relief.
She struggled with sleep and regulating her mood after her child was born and only found answers after visiting a doctor who found out that her hormonal balance was way off. She had to take medication to get her hormonal balance back and relied on the support of her friends like former co-star Jennifer Aniston.
Conclusion
Celebrities are trendsetters in many aspects, and more and more are showing how to prioritize emotional well-being as much as physical fitness. This is an empowering trend and hopefully their fans and others will not hesitate to seek assistance early enough to overcome their mental health challenges.
