Voice of Change: 7 Female celebrities championing for mental health

Kanako Sugawara

27 Jun 2018

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Kristen Bell
A leading lady in the Hollywood comedy scene, Kristen Bell seems to have everything--beauty, a sense of humor, a great career, and a beautiful family. But in 2016, Bell candidly spoke out about how her battle with depression and anxiety, and even penned her own essay regarding her mental health experiences on Motto, a platform from the editors of Time magazine.
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Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato is one of the most famous advocates of mental health, especially amongst the younger generation. She has repeatedly talked about her struggles and recovery from eating disorders, self-harm, and drug abuse, as well as her diagnosis with bipolar disorder. She has sought treatment herself through rehab and is now the leader of Be Vocal: Speak Up for Mental Health, an initiative “encouraging people across America to use their voice in support of mental health.”
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Catherine Zeta-Jones
Catherine Zeta Jones, known for her roles in “The Mask of Zorro” and the Oscar-winning “Chicago”, was diagnosed for depression, and subsequently bipolar II after her husband was diagnosed with tongue cancer. But instead of shying away from the stigma of mental health, Jones has been very candid when discussing her mental health, saying that being properly diagnosed “was the best thing that ever happened” to her.
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Whitney Cummings
Whitney Cummings, the creator of 2 Broke Girls, was diagnosed three years ago with codependency, a condition she defines as ”being unable to tolerate the discomfort of others." In order to reduce stigma surrounding mental health conditions, Whitney Cummings wrote a memoir, "I'm Fine ... And Other Lies” stemming from her wish that young girls would have access to something that she wished would have been available to me when she was younger.
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Carrie Fisher
The late Carrie Fisher is remembered for her iconic role as Princess Leia, but was also diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age of 24. Instead of letting the mental condition deter her from her dreams, she became an advocate for mental illness by speaking publicly about her condition (this was very rare during her time!) and even writing a column for The Guardian. Her reach regarding mental health was so wide that her ashes were even placed in an urn resembling a giant Prozac pill.
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Hayden Panettiere
Ten months after giving birth to her daughter Kaya, Panettiere publicly admitted that she was suffering from postpartum depression. In a subsequent interview with Good Morning America, she strongly believes that “its ok to ask for help and its ok to have a moment of weakness...it doesn’t make you a bad person, doesn’t make you a bad mother. It makes you a very strong, resilient woman.”
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Glenn Close
Founder of the nonprofit Bring Change to Mind, and a vocal supporter of mental health groups in general, actress Glenn Close has been working to break stigmas and raise awareness regarding mental health after her sister was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2010. Close herself has revealed a struggle with depression.

These celebrities are using their experiences with mental health for the greater good.

Mental health conditions do not discriminate, and celebrities are certainly not exempted from its scary reach. Most recently, celebrities including Kendall Jenner, Ryan Reynolds, and Dwayne Johnson have publicly come out about their personal experiences regarding their mental health issues. We are constantly reminded that even our biggest idols have their own personal stressors and demons.

However, on a more positive note, many of these celebrities are using their experiences and resources for the greater good, from setting up non-profits to writing about their experiences in memoirs or columns in newspapers. From Kristen Bell to the late Carrie Fisher, here are 7 female celebrities who are using their experiences with mental health conditions to become powerful mental health advocates.

Kanako Sugawara

Photos: Getty Images

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