Depression and other mental health struggles can come with a lot of stigmas when it comes to society at large. This is an even bigger issue when it comes to males, as admitting any mental struggle is seen as a form of weakness. While society is slowly moving away from this misconception, there is still a long way to go.
However, among the people who are working to move the dice are these 8 famous men who have courageously opened up about their personal struggles. As a result, they have inspired millions of people to stop suffering in silence and seek treatment. Some of them play heroes on the screen, but all of them are heroes in real life!
Dwayne Johnson
Dwayne Johnson is one of the highest-paid actors in the world, but he has seen his fair share of adversity. The actor who is famously nicknamed “The Rock” isn’t stone-like in personality. In fact, he battled with depression and anxiety after witnessing his mother attempt suicide in front of him, following which they were evicted from their home. “I reached a point where I didn’t want to do a thing or go anywhere. I was crying constantly,” he said.
Years later, Dwayne Johnson lost his dream job of becoming a professional football player after a series of injuries. He even lost his contract with The Canadian Football League and had his girlfriend break up with him shortly after. This was his second bout of depression. Thankfully, he has managed to overcome these difficult stages and says that he and his mother are both in a good place now.
Jim Carrey
They say the funniest people often battle the biggest demons. This has proven to be true in the case of actor Jim Carrey, who has often been the subject of discussion in the media due to his odd behavior. However, Carrey had faced several personal and professional obstacles, including the suicide of his ex-girlfriend shortly after they broke up, which led him to a state of deep depression. Fortunately, the funny actor has managed to pull himself out of the hole and achieve a better mental state,
Talking to an interviewer, he said, “There is not an experience of depression,” claiming that he is not obsessed with his career anymore. He continued, “What’s happening is really good, but there is some really bad in there too. Some people have come at me in the last couple of years with the intent of breaking off a piece of the Holy Grail for themselves, but the grail isn’t a thing that you can break off”.
Prince Harry
In an interview with The Telegraph, Prince Harry revealed just how devastated he was with the death of his mother. Even though he was quite young at the time, it was an event that affected his life for almost two decades. “I sought counseling after 20 years of not thinking about the death of my mother, Diana, and 2 years of total chaos in my life,” he said.
Prince Harry spoke about how he built up the courage to start seeing a mental health professional and says that his brother, Prince William, was one person who helped him and pushed him to do so. He says that he now realizes the impact on his personal professional life that losing his mother had. He also says he’s proud of himself for breaking stereotypes and accepting his issues and talking openly about asking for help – and so are we!
Ryan Reynolds
Looking at this handsome, successful, famous man, you might never guess that he’s battled several mental health issues. According to an interview he did with The New York Times, Reynolds struggled for a long time with anxiety. He said that he would be overcome with nausea and dread before talk shows and other public appearances, to the point that he would be scared that he would die! He said, “I have anxiety, I’ve always had anxiety.”
Reynolds also admits that his 20s were an unhinged decade where he partied a lot and tried to “vanish in some way”. Immense anxiety and fear about his future caused him to start self-medicating. It wasn’t until he lost his fried due to an overdose did he stop and take a long, hard look at his destructive ways.
Today, Ryan Reynolds is a dedicated husband and father to two children. He constantly talks about how much he appreciates all that his wife has done for him. Of course, as a famous celebrity, he still has to do public appearances. He says that one thing that helps him is to go into his character Deadpool, which helps him keep the anxiety at bay.
James Franco
It’s not easy to openly admit that you have a problem, so kudos to James Franco for talking about his struggles with depression and addiction. In a conversation with writer Edmund White for Out, Franco revealed that he has always had a very addictive personality. He began battling addictions as a teenager, which was around the same time that he got into acting. 10 years into his career, he found himself depressed and broken.
He continued on to say that, even though he’s struggled with different types of addictions, he has managed to find a better place for himself. Sports and art, which can be a great sublimation of negative emotions, have always helped him overcome difficult times. “I’ve started a new chapter of my life. I was very work-addicted and addicted to other things—not substances, I got over that a long time ago—but I’ve recently changed my life, and this is part of my therapy,” he explained.
Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp is an amazing actor, but this mega-celebrity has gone through a lot in his personal life. He touched a lot of readers by being candid, courageous, and emotional during his interview with Rolling Stone. “I was as low as I believe I could have gotten,” he admitted.
This was a time when everything seemed to be going wrong for Depp and he was in immense pain. He broke up with Amber Heard and had his name wrongfully accused in the court of public opinion. At the same time, he was fighting his former manager in relation to finances, and these proved to be one too many straws. He tried to figure out a way to keep his emotions in check and says that writing in a diary helped him stay grounded. He said, “I poured myself a vodka in the morning and started writing until the tears filled my eyes and I couldn’t see the page anymore.”
There is a lot to be read and a lot to be learned from the life of Johnny Depp, but the main thing to take away is that he was able to figure out that something went wrong and he tried to fix it.
Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps is a name that is synonymous with athletic success, but not many people are aware of the fact that he has overcome a lot to become a said symbol. Phelps revealed that he was diagnosed with ADHD, which changed his life completely. “I [saw] kids who, we were all in the same class, and the teachers treated them differently than they would treat me. I had a teacher tell me that I would never amount to anything and I would never be successful,” he said.
This celebrity’s mental health problems are now mostly under control because he knew when to ask for help. He says he tries not to pay too much attention to himself but isn’t afraid to call someone up to talk or ask for help. He says that life gets easier the moment you realize your abnormalities. Just like Michael Phelps got help to deal with his condition, you and I may just need that shoulder to cry on.
Chris Evans
Chris Evans is another devilishly handsome famous man who has battled with anxiety. For him, it was social anxiety, which one would imagine made his job a little bit harder. In an interview, Evan admitted that his anxiety kicked in during big events like red carpets and premieres, making him feel like he was “walking on hot coals”. Describing the emotions that came over him, he said, “You’re in the SUV with your family, your people. And then you have to pull over in some weird parking lot and do the swap. There are security and all these people. All of a sudden, you’re out of your comfort zone. It’s strange. The little things that can tip you over.”
The actor has participated in therapy to help overcome his anxieties. Chris Evans admitting that he fought with social anxiety and had to go to therapy is a way for young men who look up to him to know that it’s alright to admit their issues with mental health and to seek help for them.
After all, if Captain America could get stage fright – there’s nothing wrong with admitting you feel anxious or sad in your own life. Everyone has the right to be weak or vulnerable at times. Don’t be ashamed of your emotions and remember to ask for help if you need it!
