5 Celebrities Who Battled Depression

By Robert Hartzell

There are ways to handle depression that do not involve drugs, but if you are suffering from clinical depression, you should see a doctor. When you have been diagnosed with depression, sometimes it can help to learn about other people who have dealt with this problem. This lets you know that you are not alone. Reading about people who have fought depression and overcome it can also give you hope.

Here are some celebrities who have battled depression.

1. Jon Hamm

Jon Hamm is known for his work on the hit television show Mad Men. However, when he was only 20 years old, he suffered from chronic depression after his father died. Luckily, he used the structured environment of work and school to his advantage. He was in college at the time, and having a structured schedule helped him recover. He also went to therapy and took antidepressants in order to get out of this situation.

2. Ashley Judd

Ashley Judd is known for her acting talent these days, but she revealed in her memoir that she actually considered committing suicide when she was in sixth grade. She also spent 42 days in a rehab clinic in 2006 so she could get treatment for her depression. Fortunately, she has overcome her problems and says that reconciling with alienated family members has helped her heal. She also devotes quite a bit of time to charity work, and that has helped her make peace with her past.

3. Owen Wilson

To the world, Owen Wilson seems like a fun, laid back, nice guy. Unfortunately, it became apparent in 2007 when he attempted suicide that his public persona was hiding a lot of pain. Some of his friends were shocked when this news came out, but other people who were close to him said that he had had some serious problems for a while, including a past drug addiction. Fortunately, Wilson overcame his problems and was able to recover, thanks to help from his family and friends.

4. Amanda Beard

In 1996, Amanda Beard won a gold medal at the Olympic Games for swimming. Unfortunately, a subsequent growth spurt and 25-pound weight gain caused her self-esteem to plummet. Beard became depressed, and used bulimia and cutting herself as a means to deal with the pain associated with her depression. In 2005, she began taking antidepressants, which helped her start getting healthy again. She is off of medications now and has since given birth to a son. She still has bad days sometimes, but she survived her ordeal with depression.

5. Brooke Shields

Brooke Shields was one of the first celebrities to talk openly about her struggle with postpartum depression. She decided to take antidepressants to deal with her depression and wrote an opinion piece in the New York Times defending that decision. Shields also wrote about her experience in her book that was published in 2005. It is titled, Down Came the Rain: My Journey Through Postpartum Depression.

References:
20 Celebrities Who Battled Depression (http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20526304,00.html)

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About The Author
Robert Hartzell is a freelance writer who loves to write about health issues around the world. More recently he has published several pieces for Prozacbirthdefect.com covering Prozac and pregnancy.