20 Famous People who Battled with Depression

Naomi Judd AHA-by State Farm-Wikimedia Commons

20 Famous People who Battled with Depression

Depression is a common yet serious mood condition that has an impact on your day-to-day functioning. Depression can cause profound sadness or hopelessness that lasts for several days to weeks in addition to feeling down. There is no single form of depression. Feelings may be transient or persistent, and the disorder may be moderate or severe. Although it’s simple to think of celebrities as having it all, many of the most well-known persons in the world are actually hiding continuous struggles with severe depression behind the closed doors of their enormous mansions. It turns out that living a life of wealth and fame does not automatically protect one against mental illness, and in certain situations, it might even make one feel more depressed, lonely, and anxious.

Only a small number of well-known people who have struggled with depression while in the public light are included on this list of 20 celebrities. However, by coming out about their diseases without feeling ashamed, these well-known individuals have demonstrated that not only have they survived, but they are also committed to normalizing the dialogue about mental illness for everyone experiencing it, famous or not.

Famous Singers who Battled with Depression

1. Katy Perry

Katy Perry during the Met Gala 2019-by Cosmopolitan UK-Wikimedia Commons

American singer-songwriter Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson, better known by her stage name Katy Perry, was born on October 25, 1984. She has been dubbed the “Queen of Camp” by Vogue because of her effect on contemporary pop music and her goofy appearance. The pop diva discussed her battle with depression during a 96-hour YouTube live stream. Perry said she opened up because she wanted her fans to know her for who she really is during an emotional interview with Siri Sat Nam Singh, host of the Viceland channel’s The Therapist. 

Read also; 20 Most Popular Songs by Katy Perry

2. Lady Gaga

American singer, songwriter, and actress Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, was born on March 28, 1986. She is renowned for her musical variety and image makeovers. The pop artist claims she has struggled with depression and anxiety her entire life. Gaga isn’t embarrassed to reveal that she takes depression medication. She stated in an interview with Billboard magazine that she believes it is crucial for people to discuss their mental health.

3. Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen (7479335544)-by Takahiro Kyono-Wikimedia Commons

American singer, songwriter, and musician Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen was born on September 23, 1949. He has put out 21 studio albums, the majority of which feature the E Street Band as his backup band. He is credited with creating heartland rock, which combines traditional rock musical genres with narrative lyrics about working-class American life.

According to Springsteen’s interview with CBS Sunday Morning, he experienced a lengthy depression in his 60s. “It’s like something that swallows you whole. I reached a point when getting out of bed was undesirable” he said. He claimed that his work was unaffected and that his wife Patti Scialfa’s “strength and love” were essential. 

4. Naomi Judd

American singer and actress Naomi Judd was born on January 11, 1946, and she passed away on April 30, 2022. She and her daughter Wynonna founded the country music duo known as The Judds in 1980. They were incredibly successful, winning nine Country Music Association honors and five Grammy Awards. The legendary country music singer Judd committed suicide in April 2022 after a protracted struggle with depression.

She claimed that in 2010, “totally severe and life-threatening sadness” started to affect her, as reported by Robin Roberts of ABC News and WebMD. She claimed that after returning home, she would stay in her pajamas for three weeks without leaving the house and not engage in basic hygiene. The situation was awful. 

5. Sheryl Crow

Sheryl Crow-by Selflessness-Wikimedia Commons

Sheryl Suzanne Crow, an American singer, songwriter, actress, and musician, was born on February 11, 1962. The genres of rock, pop, country, folk and blues are all represented in her music. She has eleven studio albums, five compilations, and three live albums, and has made soundtrack contributions to numerous movies. Before battling breast cancer and a benign brain tumor, the nine-time Grammy Award-winning singer struggled with depression. In 2014, she admitted to having a profound sense of melancholy to London’s The Telegraph. “I started playing the piano at a young age because I needed to feel something.”

Famous Actors Who Battled with Depression

6. Dwayne Johnson

The Rock is the ring name of American actor and former professional wrestler Dwayne Douglas Johnson (born May 2, 1972). He is widely recognized as one of the best professional wrestlers of all time and played a crucial role in the growth and success of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) in the late 1990s and early 2000s during the Attitude Era, a time of industry boom.

Although “The Rock” is one of Hollywood’s top-paid performers, he recently discussed his struggle with melancholy with the British Daily Express. Johnson, who rescued his mother from a suicide attempt when he was 15 years old, remarked that “struggle and grief are genuine.” He afterward tweeted, “Depression never discriminates. It took me a long time to understand this, but the secret is to not be frightened to open up.” 

Read also; Top 10 Facts about Dwayne Johnson ‘the Rock’

7. Jon Hamm

Jon Hamm at PaleyFest 2014-by Dominick D-Wikimedia Commons

American actor Jonathan Daniel Hamm was born on March 10th, 1971. He is best known for playing Don Draper in the period drama television series Mad Men (2007-2015), for which he received two Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series, a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2015, and two Golden Globe Awards for Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama in 2008 and 2016.

Hamm has struggled with some serious issues, much like his Mad Men character Don Draper. He has been candid about his struggles with depression and claims that the loss of his father when he was in college was particularly difficult. Hamm discussed the advantages of counseling in an interview with InStyle magazine.

8. Kristen Bell

Kristen Anne Bell is an American actress and singer who was born on July 18, 1980. She received critical praise and a Saturn Award for Best Actress on Television for her portrayal of the title character in the teen noir drama television series Veronica Mars (2004–2007). The actress, who is best known for providing the voice of Anna in the film Frozen, claims she has struggled with depression since she was a college student. Bell writes, “There’s nothing weak about battling with mental illness,” in an essay for the website Motto. She claimed that she went public in an effort to dispel misconceptions about the disease.

9. Ashley Judd

Ashley Judd 2014-by Mingle MediaTV-Wikimedia Commons

American actress Ashley Judd was born on April 19, 1968. She is Wynonna Judd’s half-sister and the daughter of country music performer Naomi Judd, so she grew up in a performing arts family. She has been an actress for more than three decades, and during this time, she has also actively participated in political activity and global humanitarian causes. The Kiss the Girls actor describes her childhood as “dysfunctional.” She experienced loneliness and unease. As a result, as an adult, she has experienced intense melancholy. But when she enrolled in a treatment center in 2006, things started to improve. 

10. Jim Carrey

James Eugene Carrey, an American and Canadian actor, comedian, and artist, was born on January 17, 1962. Carrey originally came to public attention in 1990 after winning a role in the American sketch comedy television series In Living Color. He is known for his energizing slapstick performances (1990–1994). The actor who created some of the silliest characters in films, including Ace Ventura and the Grinch, admits to having some gloomy moments. He has no problem admitting that he uses antidepressants and leads a very moral and pious life.

Famous Author Who Battled with Depression

11. J.K. Rowling

J. K. Rowling 2010-by Daniel Ogren-Wikimedia Commons

Joanne Rowling, also known by her pen as J. K. Rowling and born on July 31, 1965, is a British writer, producer, and screenwriter. She was the author of the seven-volume children’s fantasy series Harry Potter, which was released from 1997 to 2007. While creating the magical novels, the author of the Harry Potter series acknowledged feeling dejected. Even the soul-sucking Dementors from her series were influenced by her terrible emotions. She said to Oprah Winfrey in 2010 that depression is so tough to express to someone who has never been there because it’s not sadness. However, it is that emotionless, hollow feeling that is present.

Read also; 20 Famous Female Authors who Changed the World

Famous Athletes Who Battled with Depression

12. Terry Bradshaw

Terry Paxton Bradshaw, an American retired football player who played quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League(NFL), was born on September 2, 1948. He has worked as a sports analyst for television and the co-host of Fox NFL Sunday since 1994. The NFL Hall of Famer and well-known football analyst says he suffered from depression for a long time, but it wasn’t until the late 1990s that he received a diagnosis and treatment. He now discusses his experience in an effort to lessen the stigma associated with mental illness.

13. Michael Phelps

Michael Phelps 2012-by Jay Baker-Wikimedia Commons

Born on June 30, 1985, Michael Fred Phelps II is a former competitive swimmer from the United States. With a total of 28 medals, he is the most successful and decorated Olympian of all time. The 28-time Olympic medal-winning swimmer told CNN that while his first depression period began in 2004, his lowest point was following the 2012 Games. Phelps claimed that for three to five days he spent alone in his bedroom not wanting to be alive and that he was aware that he needed assistance. He claimed that living got easy when he sought treatment and began talking about his thoughts. 

14. Amanda Beard

American swimmer Amanda Ray Beard, now known by her married name of Amanda Brown, was born on October 29, 1981. She has won seven Olympic medals (two gold, four silver, and one bronze). She once held the world record for the 200-meter breaststroke (long course). Beard’s self-esteem plummeted after a growth spurt and a 25-pound weight gain. To cope with her misery and depression, the self-described perfectionist turned to bulimia and self-harm. In 2005, she started using antidepressants, which assisted her mental health. 

15. Naomi Osaka

Naomi Ōsaka in 2021-by VOGUE Taiwan-Wikimedia Commons

Naomi Osaka is a Japanese tennis player who was born on October 16, 1997. She is the first Asian player to achieve the No. 1 singles ranking in the world, according to the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA). Osaka has won two Australian Open championships and two US Open crowns, making her a four-time Grand Slam singles champion. Osaka withdrew from the 2021 French Open because she was afraid of speaking to the media after the tournament. She said on Twitter that since the 2018 U.S. Open, she suffered long spells of depression. She continued, saying she was having a really hard time coping with that.

16. Jeret Peterson

Jeret “Speedy” Peterson, a World Cup aerial skier from Boise, Idaho, was born on December 12, 1981, and passed away on July 25, 2011. He competed in three Olympics and took home the silver at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. Peterson committed suicide in 2011 at the age of 29 after suffering from depression for a protracted length of time.

Famous Astronaut Who Battled with Depression

17. Buzz Aldrin

Buzz Aldrin-by NASA-Wikimedia Commons

American former astronaut, engineer, and fighter pilot Buzz Aldrin was born on January 20, 1930. As the Gemini 12 mission’s pilot in 1966, he completed three spacewalks. He and mission commander Neil Armstrong became the first two individuals to set foot on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969 as the Lunar Module Eagle pilot. Aldrin’s bad mood was unaffected by his landing on the moon.

In fact, the astronaut’s sudden notoriety following the 1969 moon landing caused him to get divorced and developed alcohol and depression issues. He told The New York Times that his family has a history of unhappiness. His mother and paternal grandfather also suffered from the illness to the tragic point of taking their own lives. Aldrin then went to a doctor and was elected head of the National Mental Health Association.

Famous Politicians Who Battled with Depression

18. Tipper Gore

The second lady of the United States from 1993 to 2001 was Mary Elizabeth “Tipper” Gore, an American social issue campaigner, photographer, and author born on August 19, 1948. She was married to Al Gore, the 45th vice president of the United States. The second lady described her struggles with melancholy back in 1999 when Al Gore was vice president. After her son’s near-fatal vehicle accident, she received medical attention. She claimed in a USA Today op-ed that she was aware of the need for adequate mental health care since she had personally benefited from it. She recovered thanks to medication and therapy.

Read also; Top 10 Interesting Facts about Al Gore

19. Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama official portrait crop-by Joyce N. Boghosian-Wikimedia Commons

As the wife of former President Barack Obama, Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama (born January 17, 1964) is an American author and attorney who served as First Lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017. She held this post for the first time as an African-American woman. Michelle spoke about experiencing “low-grade sadness” amid the COVID-19 outbreak and the rebirth of the struggle for racial justice.

Famous Model Who Battled with Depression

20. Cara Delevingne

Cara Delevingne-by Gage Skidmore-Wikimedia Commons

Cara Jocelyn Delevingne, an English model and actress, was born on August 12, 1992. In 2012 and 2014, Delevingne was named Model of the Year at the British Fashion Awards. Ask Cara Delevingne for proof that fame and wealth do not necessarily equal happiness. Delevingne became wealthy and well-known by the age of 15, but she also experienced a huge wave of sadness, anxiety, and self-hatred.

After a failed effort at counseling and medicine, Delevingne turned to risky activities including drug use and excessive partying. Amazingly, Delevingne claims that the Outkast song “SpottieOttieDopaliscious” helped her to emerge from her depressing situation. Delevingne has maintained a lucrative career in film and print while successfully managing her depression.