Sometimes depression wears a pretty face.
While googling the other day, I came across a list of famous people who suffer, or have suffered, from major depression.
I know. You’re asking yourself…Why is blogdramedy googling depression? Is she depressed? Are we not enough for her? Does she need an intervention? More vodka? Less?
Yes, I get down occasionally but it’s usually due to overwhelming acts of stupidity carried out by government bureaucrats and politicians. Whatever happened to civil servant exams? It seems they’ll let just anyone in these days. If you can’t speak, can’t spell, and lie like Rupert Murdoch, odds are you can get a job spending tax payers money.
But what I’m referring to here is celebrity depression. Surely that’s an oxymoron?
If you’re a celebrity, what’s to be depressed about? The two ounces you gained when you mistakenly ordered a regular latte and actually drank it?
I guess I should qualify my comments. To me, the term celebrity has negative connotations. To be a celebrity is to be a seeker of attention. The more bizarre the behaviour, the greater the attention.
Let me run a few names by you and see if you agree with my expert analysis. I think the following could all be classified as depressives. Just not for the reasons you would think.
Woody Allen – Have you seen any of his movies? Funny, yes. Uplifting? Only if you think angst is an aphrodisiac.
Alec Baldwin – three words. Hacked phone message. The man’s the human equivalent of a ballistic missile.
Anne Hathaway – picking the wrong guy is depressing. Doing it over and over is a sign of insanity.
Janet Jackson – that whole nipple exposure episode was just a cry for help. Thankfully, Dr. Justin was there to save the day.
Ashley Judd – the youngest and prettiest of the Judd women. Too bad she can’t carry a tune. Or so she’s always been told. Family…always your toughest critic.
Abraham Lincoln – a moderate Republican and one of the greatest presidents in U.S. history. Like we’ll ever see that combination with the current crop of GOP contestants. He wasn’t depressed. He was delusional…thinking the fight against slavery would ever be over.
Ewan McGregor – He’s a bit of an enigma. Must be that Scottish reserve. Of everyone listed here, he’s the one I found most difficult to accept as suffering from depression. But then, what was his last hit film…
Friedrich Nietzsche – take a look at some of his writings. Need I say more?
Michelangelo – four years working on painting the Sistine Chapel. He spent more time on his back than Kim Kardashian. If that wasn’t enough, he was basically giving visual form to church doctrine. That’s not only depressing…it’s soul destroying.
Marie Osmond – you don’t need me to write something here, do you? Just think Donny and go from there.
I found over 300 names of recognizable figures from history who all showed signs of clinical depression. Depending on what criteria you use, I suspect everyone you know could be affected by a depressive disorder. Including you…and me.
If that’s the case then maybe we shouldn’t call it a disorder. Maybe we should think of this as the norm. After all, you can’t be happy all the time. That’s delusional. You can take medication for depression. For delusion? The answer is white and comes in a snug fit.
Fantastic! Soon, I will be famous.
I think you better make that infamous.
Interesting post. I have suffered from depression since about the age of 20. Of course I think it was partly drug induced. Being a musician drugs were always available at no cost most of the time. I struggled with a mean cocaine addiction for the better part of 30 yrs. I’m over that now, and have been for a few years. I’m good …I’m never going back.
Depression is one of those things I’ve just always lived with, and was in treatment for. But it’s within you to come out of it. Meds are defo not the entire answer. Sometimes I used to think the anti-depressants just made you feel better about being depressed.
You might think celebrities would have nothing to be depressed about ….they have tons of money, and all the adoration one could ever want. But you know the more money you have the bigger the headaches, and different headaches I guess.
One person I really admire and I think he is a superb actor, Anthony Hopkins. He suffered major depression. I heard him tell his story, he was very candid about his battle with depression and overcoming it. Inspired me.
The one thing that annoys me about these celebrities who suffer depression or bi polar disorder, they go on TV and cry over themselves and the difficulties they have. Hey! I’ve sat with crack heads myself included who suffered much more from the dysphoria and all the rest that comes from smoking crack. There was no Dr. Phil, or Oprah for us to cry to, and in front of millions of viewers. But we somehow made it. You know what they say about addicts? We clean up beautifully.
Sorry if this commentary is a bit off, but I just wanted to share that with you and your readers.
You win a Blogdramedy Bing Award for longest comment. Congratulations!
I get what you’re saying about depression. When my Mother died suddenly a few years ago it was rough for a while. I got through it with the occasional sleeping pill (bad insomnia for a while) but no hard core drugs. Now when I get down or pissed or frustrated, I just blog. It’s free and no visit to the Doctor.
Don’t forget John Denver. Someone lands on my site almost daily by searching for John Denver and Depression.
I think people are just looking for that Rocky Mountain High. *wink wink*
“He spent more time on his back than Kim Kardashian.” Hey-o!!
I think i could handle being clinically depressed if I made a gajillion bucks a year. At least, I’d be willing to try it out for a year. You know. For science.
Get in line, sister.
She blinded me with science.
Ok, that was depressing.
Finally. It’s about time I inflicted physical harm on one of you guys.
I signed up for blood and gore and all I got was this lousy tee shirt that says “Up Pineapple, Down Pumpkin.”
Oh God, I hope depression isn’t the latest celebrity cause. I’ll have to start denying my own depressive tendencies out of fear of looking like a bandwagoner.
You, my dear, are an original.
There is an interesting correlation between artistic creativity and bipolar disorder, which of course part-time manifests as depression.
Also, when you’re rich, even small problems get to become BIG problems, so that’s a double whammy.
On a aide note, I’ve recently realized that quite a few famous people are shorter than they appear on screen.
The part I like the best is how all the chatter these days is along the lines of the economic crisis being something too tough for politicians to solve. Who does that leave? The businessmen??!?!? No way!
Add me to that list of celebrities. Pronto!
Maybe depressed celebrities can solve the economic crisis. Or at least share their medication with the rest of us.
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