Mental Illness and Celebrites
Celebrity on the couch: 40 faces of depression in the spotlight.
In the public confessional of the media, more and more household names have come out of the shadows to talk about their depression and mental illness. This is what they say about it. By Jonathan Owen 10 October 2006 .
1. George Michael: Singer
"Twelve years of depression and fear and lots of other bad stuff. It was as if I had a curse on me. I couldn't believe how much God was piling on at once."
2. Uma Thurman: Actress
"Nobody seemed to have any perspective any longer. Those were low points. But we got through it."
3. Jack Dee: Comedian
"Depression is something that has always figured in my life but now I'm dealing with it. I wish I'd done this years and years ago because it's been really helpful."
4. Kylie Minogue: Singer
"You get such a kick and then suddenly it's all over. That's good ground for uncertainty and depression. I usually burst into tears."
5. Paul Gascoigne: Footballer
"Everywhere I looked life seemed to be full of problems and they were just going to go on and on. It was never going to get any better."
6. Katie Price/Jordan: Model
"I was a psycho woman. It felt like something in me that I had no control over."
7. Russell Grant: TV presenter
"It is a maze of total confusion... it can get to the point where you don't care if you live or die."
8. Frank Bruno: Ex-boxer
"It's like a kettle. If it's a kettle, you turn the kettle off, you know what I mean? I wish I could put a hole in my head and let the steam come out. The steam was getting so high and the pressure was just getting a little bit much for me."
9. Ben Stiller: Actor
"I have not been an easygoing guy. I think it's called bipolar manic depression. I've got a rich history of that in my family."
10. Meg Mathews: Noel Gallagher's ex-wife
On the recent news of her going into rehab: "I can confirm Meg is receiving treatment. She is suffering from depression and needs time out."
11. Lord Bragg: Broadcaster, author and president of Mind
"Occasionally now I feel a wang that goes in my head - once you've got it you've got it. The [illness] was quite severe, leaving me deeply unhappy and frightened."
12. Neil Lennon: Footballer
"It's a bit like walking down a long, dark corridor never knowing when the light will go on."
13. Carrie Fisher: Actress
"Mania starts off fun, not sleeping for days, keeping company with your brain, which has become a wonderful computer, showing 24 TV channels all about you. That goes horribly wrong after a while."
14. Keisha Buchanan: Singer, Sugababes
"With depression, you can go in and out of it and not really know whether it's still there or not. Sometimes I'd find myself bursting into tears for no reason."
15. Ben Moody: Musician
"I was horribly depressed, and I felt like I had failed as a band leader, a professional, as a person."
16. Jim Carrey: Actor
"I was on Prozac for a long time. It may have helped me out of a jam for a little bit, but people stay on it for ever."
17. James Dean Bradfield: Manic Street Peachers
"I became a completely dysfunctional, miserable person, completely uncommunicative and aggressive."
18. Trisha Goddard: TV presenter
"I was in danger of having my children taken away from me when I needed five weeks in psychiatric care... There is the smiling depressive which is the biggest time bomb and when they go they usually go with a bang, which was me..."
19. Linda Hamilton: Hollywood actress
"The lows were absolutely horrible. It was like falling into a manhole and not being able to lift the lid and climb out."
20. Mel C: Former Spice Girl
"There is always a fear the depression could return but I do all the right things. I try to get the right amount of sleep because I know that I need sleep to function and I need to eat properly and to do some exercising."
see 20 more....
© 2006 Independent News and Media (NI) a division of Independent News & media (UK) Ltd
In the public confessional of the media, more and more household names have come out of the shadows to talk about their depression and mental illness. This is what they say about it. By Jonathan Owen 10 October 2006 .
1. George Michael: Singer
"Twelve years of depression and fear and lots of other bad stuff. It was as if I had a curse on me. I couldn't believe how much God was piling on at once."
2. Uma Thurman: Actress
"Nobody seemed to have any perspective any longer. Those were low points. But we got through it."
3. Jack Dee: Comedian
"Depression is something that has always figured in my life but now I'm dealing with it. I wish I'd done this years and years ago because it's been really helpful."
4. Kylie Minogue: Singer
"You get such a kick and then suddenly it's all over. That's good ground for uncertainty and depression. I usually burst into tears."
5. Paul Gascoigne: Footballer
"Everywhere I looked life seemed to be full of problems and they were just going to go on and on. It was never going to get any better."
6. Katie Price/Jordan: Model
"I was a psycho woman. It felt like something in me that I had no control over."
7. Russell Grant: TV presenter
"It is a maze of total confusion... it can get to the point where you don't care if you live or die."
8. Frank Bruno: Ex-boxer
"It's like a kettle. If it's a kettle, you turn the kettle off, you know what I mean? I wish I could put a hole in my head and let the steam come out. The steam was getting so high and the pressure was just getting a little bit much for me."
9. Ben Stiller: Actor
"I have not been an easygoing guy. I think it's called bipolar manic depression. I've got a rich history of that in my family."
10. Meg Mathews: Noel Gallagher's ex-wife
On the recent news of her going into rehab: "I can confirm Meg is receiving treatment. She is suffering from depression and needs time out."
11. Lord Bragg: Broadcaster, author and president of Mind
"Occasionally now I feel a wang that goes in my head - once you've got it you've got it. The [illness] was quite severe, leaving me deeply unhappy and frightened."
12. Neil Lennon: Footballer
"It's a bit like walking down a long, dark corridor never knowing when the light will go on."
13. Carrie Fisher: Actress
"Mania starts off fun, not sleeping for days, keeping company with your brain, which has become a wonderful computer, showing 24 TV channels all about you. That goes horribly wrong after a while."
14. Keisha Buchanan: Singer, Sugababes
"With depression, you can go in and out of it and not really know whether it's still there or not. Sometimes I'd find myself bursting into tears for no reason."
15. Ben Moody: Musician
"I was horribly depressed, and I felt like I had failed as a band leader, a professional, as a person."
16. Jim Carrey: Actor
"I was on Prozac for a long time. It may have helped me out of a jam for a little bit, but people stay on it for ever."
17. James Dean Bradfield: Manic Street Peachers
"I became a completely dysfunctional, miserable person, completely uncommunicative and aggressive."
18. Trisha Goddard: TV presenter
"I was in danger of having my children taken away from me when I needed five weeks in psychiatric care... There is the smiling depressive which is the biggest time bomb and when they go they usually go with a bang, which was me..."
19. Linda Hamilton: Hollywood actress
"The lows were absolutely horrible. It was like falling into a manhole and not being able to lift the lid and climb out."
20. Mel C: Former Spice Girl
"There is always a fear the depression could return but I do all the right things. I try to get the right amount of sleep because I know that I need sleep to function and I need to eat properly and to do some exercising."
see 20 more....
© 2006 Independent News and Media (NI) a division of Independent News & media (UK) Ltd
Comments