Approximately 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. experiences a mental illness in a given year. And yet, even with its startling prevalence, there’s still a stigma that keeps many people from talking about it openly. Celebrities speaking on mental illness has helped normalize what people across all walks of life go through. The shame that surrounds mental illness can be crippling and is powerful enough to prevent someone from seeking help, so this conversation is an extremely important one.
As a society, we’re presented with a certain stereotype of what a person with mental illness might look like, and rarely is that an image of a beloved celebrity or public figure—or at the very least, someone who seems to have their shit together. But mental illness is just that: mental. It rarely manifests in the physical, so we can’t always tell when someone is struggling, and nobody is immune.
With the advent of social media and celebrities speaking about things near and dear to their hearts–it has helped push mental health to the forefront of popular culture.
Ahead, 22 celebs who have smashed stereotypes by bravely coming forth with their struggles, proving that we all need a little help from time to time.
Editor’s Note: Post originally published in 2017, updated Oct.7, 2019.