Earlier this week singer Chappell Roan revealed to the Guardian she had been diagnosed with “severe depression” after her immediate rise to stardom. “Everything that I really love to do now comes with baggage,” she said about her diagnosis. “How do I do this in a safe way where I’m not going to be stalked or harassed?”
I watched in awe as the singer shot to mega fame after her songs ‘Hot To Go’ and ‘Good Luck Babe!’ went viral this year. She now sells out major crowds and headlined the MTV VMAs, where she was crowned ‘Best New Artist’.
Most of us are hypnotised by the assumption that celebrity, fame, and fortune will make all our problems melt away. But time and time again, we see so many examples from those in the public eye that this reaaaaally isn’t the case.
Back in 2020, Lady Gaga told People magazine she would “wake up in the morning, and “realise I was Lady Gaga”. For most of us commoners, this would be the best case scenario, surely? But it turns out, this realisation caused her to feel “depressed and sad” due to the fame her career had brought her.
Britney Spears, who grew up in the public eye, was constantly scrutinised by the media to the point where she shaved her head to “regain control” over her body back in 2007. The singer has since written a memoir detailing her struggles with mental health after her personal life was put on blast for the last 20 years.
For Mental Health Awareness Week, I spoke to Clinical Psychologist Dr Victoria Thompson who told me it can be incredibly beneficial for celebrities to be candid about their struggles with mental health, which doesn’t discriminate with who it affects.
“I do believe that celebrities are entitled to their privacy around their mental health and do not have to come into the public eye to discuss them if they do not want to”, Dr Thompson explained. “However, when they are willing and able to do this, it can be highly beneficial in normalising difficulties for others.”
To see someone who they believe to be successful and admirable come forward with similar struggles can show them that in fact, these problems can affect ANYONE.
Dr Thompson added: “It doesn't mean that you are a failure or weak!” So why is this openness so beneficial to us?
“It's important that people feel like that person is relatable and they can find connection with them, perhaps finding them too different and perhaps too 'protected' to experience struggle,” Dr Thompson said.
However, she points out there are some downsides “where too much 'openness' can cause difficulties such as 'misinformation' surrounding mental health.”
“This something that I see frequently on social media apps such as TikTok,” she added.
“Social media can be a great starting point, but it’s always best to address your concerns with someone who is qualified.” Dr Thompson continued that while celebs might seem to have it all, “the way that we all experience 'happiness' is different and 'happiness' is not a concrete experience.”
The life of a celebrity isn’t always glitz and glam as “having lots of money and fame can cause difficulties of its own. As Dr Thompson points out, people can become uncertain about whether people like them for 'them' rather than their wealth or fame, they can be relied on as the sole supporter of family members, or experience pressure to live up to a certain expectation.
This is why I say 'happiness' is not something that can be achieved as a constant, as our lives and situations are constantly changing.
The added pressure of suddenly becoming a “target of criticism by the media and members of the public” is one of the main psychological impacts fame has on the brain.
Dr Thompson explained “this can cause them to experience pressure surrounding the way that they are perceived.”
“The image of success that they have achieved can mean that they feel undue pressure to maintain this 'perfect' image, which over time, can become crippling,” she added.
It’s safe to say that no matter who you are, where you’re from, or what you experience, anyone can go through mental health difficulties in their lifetime, and most of us will.
What’s important is that you reach out for help and support when needed.
Need help, or just wanna talk to someone?
Lifeline – 0800 543 354 (0800 LIFELINE) or free text 4357 (HELP).
Suicide Crisis Helpline – 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO).
Depression Helpline – 0800 111 757 or free text 4202 (to talk to a trained counsellor about how you are feeling or to ask any questions).
Youthline – 0800 376 633, free text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat.
