Rebecca MacFarlane
We often think of celebrities as untouchable supremely confident. After all, they get up on stage in front of thousands of people, act in movies aired internationally and deal with constant media attention in their everyday lives. When we suffer with bouts of depression, anxiety or negative self images, we often let thoughts such as “ I wish I could be as happy and confident as Beyonce”, or “I would be so much happier if I was as beautiful as (insert name of some celebrity)” dance through our minds.
What we don’t often consider is that these celebrities struggle with exactly the same issues that we do. Perhaps realizing that some of our favorite celebs go through the same struggles as us will be an eye opener, and we can learn something from the pearls of wisdom they have chosen to share.
Adele
Adele has been very open about her struggle with anxiety. The popular pop singer who brought us the emotionally evocative “Set Fire to the Rain” recently spoke about her stage fright and anxiety attacks. The anxiety is so crippling that she avoids public performances as much as she possibly can, as she fears having an attack on stage.
In a 2011 interview with Rolling Stone, the singer said her anxiety had gotten so bad once at a live performance in Amsterdam that she actually escaped through the fire escape to avoid going on stage.
Adele stated that one of the ways she has helped herself overcome her anxiety, other than garnering inspiration from Beyonce, has been accepting her body as it is, and not comparing herself to her so-called more petite celeb counterparts. Something many of us could learn from.
Angelina Jolie
Movie star A-lister Angelina Jolie may have garnered herself the title of most beautiful woman in the world, but she is no stranger to emotional issues. Jolie has recounted on numerous occasions how she suffered from severe depression in her teens that led her to a variety of self-destructive behaviors, owing to a feeling of inner emptiness despite her quick propulsion into the world of fame and money.
According to her, she was surprised to find that the Hollywood lifestyle, while glamorous, didn’t offer any internal feelings of emotional and mental fulfillment as she had expected it would. This is largely one of the reasons Jolie became so intimately involved with humanitarian work as she sought out a deeper purpose for herself and her life. Jolie has stated that it was this involvement with charity work coupled with support from her closest friends and family that ultimately helped her to tackle her emotional problems.
Whereas she still has to deal with depression from time to time, she has stated that her number one way of overcoming it is keeping busy. Do something which you find fulfilling and something which forces you to get up in the morning.
Emma Watson
British born actress most famous for her role as Hermione Granger on the internationally renowned Harry Potter Series, Emma Watson, has opened up about her struggles with depression and low self-esteem. In an interview with Esquire Magazine, she stated how she had suffered with a negative self-image and constant self-doubt. Watson spoke of how she had negative views of her body and physical appearance that caused a great deal of anxiety for her. Watson owed these feelings to the magazine photo shoots which she had participated in, which she claimed created an unrealistic and physically unattainable ideal for her to live up to in her day to day life.
She was never able to replicate the level of perfection shown on the cover of a magazine in real life, and this made her exceptionally insecure. How many of us feel insecure when we ourselves look at the flawless, airbrushed images of models in magazines and wish we could look as physically perfect as them? Knowing that one of these ladies feels the exact same way is certainly eye opening. Watson said that when she removed herself from these unrealistic images, she was able to overcome the feelings of insecurity and resulting anxiety, and move on to a happier state of being.
We could all learn an important lesson from this, and that is to never compare ourselves to physically false depictions constantly foisted upon us in the media. Rather, we should love ourselves and our bodies as they are.
Lady Gaga 
Lady Gaga is the epitome of outgoing, occasionally outlandish, public performances. You wouldn’t expect someone so brave and flamboyant to have a history of struggling with anxiety and depression, but the singer has confessed that it has been something that has plagued her throughout her life. This depression even prompted her to take a step back and have a break from her music after her 2013 album, much to the dismay of her loyal fans.
Although her music was missed, it sent out an important message- that no matter what your career may be or how many other people you are expected to please, taking care of yourself is of paramount importance.
Gaga says that the best way to deal with depression and anxiety is to remember what it is that makes you special, and let that light shine. Certainly a beautiful message about remaining true to yourself, and always taking time out to take care of you!
Jim Carrey
A laugh a minute comedian and actor Jim Carrey would probably be the last person you would think suffers from depression. Alas, he does, and depression was a major issue that he had to work through for a large part of his life. After being on antidepressants, which he has since stated only masked his inner feelings of unhappiness, he has come clean about his struggles.
His advice to really overcome depression is to change your mind-set, and repeatedly tell yourself that life is good. Don’t wallow in the feelings that are bringing you down, but rather cultivate a sense of happiness by learning to appreciate the life that you have. A mind-set change truly can work wonders, and although it may seem easier said than done, it has been proven that taking a more positive outlook on life can help to alleviate feelings of depression.
The biggest lesson we can learn from these celebs, over and above the advice they have given us, is that depression, anxiety and other emotional issues do not discriminate. Anyone can suffer from them, regardless of how much money you have or how well known you are. No one who is going through it is going through it alone, and hopefully these stories can bring some hope and inspiration to those out there who struggle.
