Machine Gun Kelly and other celebs open up about mental health
In a time when mental illness is more prevalent than ever, breaking the stigma around issues like depression, anxiety, and various disorders can be a matter of life and death. Our society worships celebrities and it puts them in a position of immense influence. Many celebrities are now using their platforms to destigmatize mental illness and share that they experience the same struggles as everyone else.
Machine Gun Kelly skyrocketed to fame thanks to his high-profile relationship with Megan Fox, but while people were caught up in their romance, the singer was struggling immensely. In his new Hulu documentary ‘Life in Pink,’ MGK, real name Colson Baker, opens up about falling into darkness after the death of his father in 2020. He recalled a particularly scary moment when he said, “I wouldn’t leave my room and I started getting really, really, really dark,” and he was filled with paranoia to the point where he slept “with a shotgun next to my bed.” Fox was in Bulgaria filming when MGK said “one of the days, I just f—ing snapped.”
“I called Megan, I was like, ‘You aren’t here for me,'” he added. “I’m in my room and I’m like freaking out on her and dude, I put the shotgun in my mouth and I’m yelling on the phone and like the barrel’s in my mouth. I go to c o c k the shotgun and the bullet as it comes back up, the shell just gets jammed. Megan’s like dead silent.” He explained that this terrifying moment was a turning point where he realized something was “not right” with how he was feeling, and after pleas from both Fox and his daughter, he said to himself, “I need to kick the drugs, for real this time.”
Take a look through the gallery and find out which other celebrities are courageously opening up to the public about their experiences with mental health, and learn more about the signs and symptoms so you can help raise awareness too.
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Machine Gun Kelly
Despite his constant appearance in the media, he rarely does a serious sit-down interview, which is why he surprised himself and his host when he opened up on ‘The Drew Barrymore Show.’ The short interview had been arranged so he could promote his new line of unisex nail polish, but Kelly ended up revealing that he often forces a smile for the cameras even though he’s not feeling it on the inside. “I kind of am sick of smiling on days when I don’t feel like smiling. And I feel like this odd pressure because I don’t want, like, my fans to think that I’m taking something for granted.” He continued, “a lot of what I do is for other people and I haven’t given myself the time to just accept that it’s OK to not be OK.”
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Selena Gomez
Selena Gomez opened up about her bipolar disorder in April 2020, and in a new interview with ‘Good Morning America’ she shared that it was “really freeing to have the information.” She said of the diagnosis, “It made me really happy because I started to have a relationship with myself, and I think that’s the best part,” adding that she’s “the happiest I’ve ever been.”
Speaking on Miley Cyrus’ Instagram Live talk show, ‘Bright Minded,’ near the beginning of the pandemic, Gomez related the power of knowledge around her mental illness to something her mom taught her from a young age. She used to be scared of thunderstorms but her mom advised her to learn more about them, and then she was able to conquer her fear.
Gomez has also made one significant lifestyle change that has really helped her mental health: staying offline. “I haven’t been on the internet in 4 1/2 years,” she told ‘GMA.’ It has changed my life completely. I am happier, I am more present, I connect more with people. It makes me feel normal.”
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Ryan Reynolds
Ryan Reynolds has been very transparent about his struggle with anxiety in recent times, and he told CBS Sunday Morning in February that he feels like he has “two parts of my personality,” one riddled with anxiety, and the one that the audience sees. The actor recalled an appearance many years ago on ‘The Late Show with David Letterman,’ where he flipped between those personalities. “When I would go out on, like, Letterman back in the day, I was nervous. But I remember I’d be standing backstage before the curtain would open, and I would think to myself, ‘I’m gonna die. I’m literally gonna die here. The curtain’s gonna open and I’m just gonna be, I’m just gonna be a symphony of vomit,’ just, like, something horrible’s gonna happen!” he said. “But as soon as that curtain opens–and this happens in my work a lot too–it’s like this little guy takes over. And he’s like, ‘I got this. You’re cool.'” He continued, “I feel, like, my heart rate drop, and my breathing calm, and I just sort of go out and I’m this different person. And I leave that interview going, ‘God, I’d love to be that guy!'”
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Sara Bareilles
Sara Bareilles took to Instagram to share her experience with starting medication in her years-long battle with depression and anxiety. The singer posted a photo of a pill and wrote, “This is my medicine,” before acknowledging her “not pictured medicines” in the form of “friends/family, therapy, exercise, sleep and meditation.” She explained that after two decades “of feeling very strongly that it was not the path I needed to take…I have tried medication for the first time.” She described the changes she’s already witnessed, adding, “For the first time in months I can feel myself again- my joy, my optimism and my laughter are among some of the precious parts of myself I have rediscovered. They sit at my soul’s table, along with my sweet sadness and my tender anxiety…who, by the way, aren’t the only ones talking anymore. It is a profound, holy relief.” She went on to detail her struggles with mental health, feeling “desperate and overwhelmed almost all the time,” and her fears about starting medicine, but she added, “For me, the truth was that this medicine helped me see myself again, without the cloak of depression and anxiety. I remember myself.”
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Cardi B
The rapper brought a lawsuit against the YouTuber Tasha K, accusing her of “spread malicious rumors, slanderous assertions, and false information about celebrities” for financial gain. Some of the most damaging rumors she spread about Cardi B were that she was a prostitute, contracted herpes, and used drugs. The ‘WAP’ singer took the stand on January 13, 2022, to share the impact Tasha K’s videos had on her wellbeing. She said that she felt “helpless” amid the allegations, and suffered from fatigue, anxiety, and migraines. The stress impacted her relationships with her husband, Offset, and her children. She revealed that she had even considered taking her own life at certain points amid the YouTuber’s 14-month attack, something she had never thought about prior. Her legal team is requesting that Tasha K pay damages and “remove in full all defamatory and disparaging statements.”
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Prince William
Prince William recently appeared in a short film alongside two emergency workers to discuss the difficulties of their job. The Duke of Cambridge has experience as a first responder thanks to his days serving as a Search and Rescue pilot in the RAF, after which he worked as an air ambulance pilot. He recounted how some of the situations he dealt with haunted him, particularly when he had to attend to a child. “So, for me, it was the relation of my personal life with the family or the incident I was at. I found that very difficult. There were a number of times when I had to take myself away because I was just getting too involved in it, and feeling it.” He advised that “going to talk to someone else after the event was really important. But it continues — it doesn’t leave you there, you just manage it better.”
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Kirsten Dunst
In an interview with The Sunday Times, 39-year-old Kirsten Dunst opened up about her battle with severe depression in her late twenties. She reflected on the need to people-please in the film industry, which led her to repress a lot of her emotions: “You don’t know that you are repressing all this anger, it wasn’t a conscious thing.” Dunst revealed that this landed her in a deep depression and she ended up seeking treatment at a Utah rehab. She also shared that medication really helped to pull her out of the darkness. “All I’ll say is that medication is a great thing and can really help you come out of something. I was afraid to take something and so I sat in it for too long. I would recommend getting help when you need it.”
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Phoebe Dynevor
The 26-year-old actress Phoebe Dynevor has recently shared how intense it really was when she skyrocketed to fame after the release of ‘Bridgerton.’ Everyone was in lockdown, so it was only during the slow return to normal life that Dynevor realized how recognizable she had become. She referenced Britney Spears and Simone Biles as examples of celebrities whose mental health has been affected by their extreme fame. Dynevor described her own struggles with her newfound success: “I’m full of anxiety. I have a fear of failure, letting someone down, contradicting myself.” However, she has strategies in place to deal with these difficult feelings, including “Decaf coffee! And I meditate, I have a therapist, I walk every day. There are things I do to ground myself, because it’s quite hectic at the moment.”
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John Mayer
In the past, John Mayer has been open about his struggles with his ego, particularly in a 2015 interview with Today in which he said, “I’m a recovered ego addict, and the only way that I can be sure that I don’t relapse is to admit that I constantly have this ego addiction, every day,” he said. “So I do the Grammys and I go home because if I stay, I get high again.” On a recent Q+A he hosted on Instagram on August 31, a fan asked him if he still feels he’s a “recovering ego addict,” and he responded, “No, and I’ll tell you why. Your 20s and 30s are like the hours between 8 pm and 11 pm on a weekend night. You’re kind of frantically hoping for the most validating plans to come through.” But now that he’s 43, the musician explained: “Your 40s are like 11:30 pm where you’re like ‘hey, I would have been home anyway even if I had gone out.’ The pressure is off.” He also reflected on “being a ham” in his past interviews and likened his past, more regrettable comments to “break dancing into a nitroglycerin plant.”
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Owen Wilson
It’s not a secret that actor Owen Wilson attempted to take his own life in 2007, but it’s a subject he has rarely discussed since. He opened up about that terrible time in his life in an interview with Esquire. When asked how he managed to come out of that dark place, Wilson credited his older brother Andrew. Andrew immediately started sleeping at his house, waking up with him every morning, and making him a daily schedule to make like seem more manageable. After a very long time, life even started to seem enjoyable again.
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Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne revealed what led to his attempt on his own life at just 12 years old. Wayne said he’d struggled for two years of his adolescence with “no one to vent to, no one to get this out to,” when his mother learned he’d been skipping school. Scared that she would tell him he had to stop rapping, which was his only outlet at the time, he called the police and got his mother’s gun, then shot himself in the chest. “How I knew I had mental health problems was I pulled the trigger,” he said, highlighting the lack of education surrounding mental health issues. Fortunately, he survived and everyone around him had a wake-up call, but he wants people to really take these issues seriously.
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AnnaLynne McCord
‘Nip/Tuck’ and ‘901210’ star AnnaLynne McCord opened up about her experiences with childhood trauma and her DID (dissociative identity disorder) diagnosis. McCord revealed that she regained memories of childhood abuse after being sexually assaulted at the age of 18. On the ‘Call Her Daddy’ podcast, McCord said she became abusive towards herself through self-harm and destructive relationships for many years. The 34-year-old actress was only recently diagnosed with DID, a disorder that usually occurs in people who experienced severe trauma during childhood. It is often referred to as multiple personality disorder, but McCord explained that it’s not the way we see it in movies. “You are not multiple personalities when you experience DID. You are fragmented versions of yourself. The reason that the brain splits in this regard, it’s always a protective mechanism.”
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Simone Biles
Simone Biles shocked the world by announcing her voluntary withdrawal from the Olympics. The champion gymnast was the star of Team USA and had already commented on the immense pressure she was feeling. She withdrew from several major gymnastics events following her uncharacteristic misstep during her vault. Biles revealed that she was feeling stressed and struggling with her focus and mental state.
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T-Pain
T-Pain seemingly disappeared at the height of his fame, after bursting onto the scene with his Auto-Tune hits like ‘I’m Sprung,’ ‘Buy U a Drank,’ and ‘Bartender.’ In a clip from the new Netflix series ‘This Is Pop,’ the musician reveals that he had fallen into a four-year depression after something Usher said. In the clip, T-Pain recalls that he and Usher had a positive relationship before embarking on a flight together in 2013. “Usher was my friend,” he said. “I really respect Usher. And he said, ‘I’m gonna tell you something, man. You kinda f—ked up music.'” The popular rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer naturally thought Usher was joking at first. “I chuckled a little bit, it was a nervous chuckle,” he explained. “And then he was like, ‘Yeah man you really f—ed up music for real singers.'”
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T-Pain
The comment disturbed him. “I was like, ‘What did I do? I came out and I used Auto-Tune.’ He was like, ‘Yeah, you f—ed it up.’ I’m like, ‘But I used it, I didn’t tell everybody else to start using it.'” T-Pain was hardly the first artist to use Auto-Tune, either. Regardless, Usher’s words had a lasting effect on him. He explains in the video: “That is the very moment, and I don’t even think I realized this for a long time, but that’s the very moment that started a four-year depression for me.”
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Paris Jackson
Paris Jackson, daughter of the late Michael Jackson, opened up about her battle with mental illness after losing her father at a young age and being subject to intense media scrutiny and cyberbullying as an adolescent. She attempted to take her own life in 2013 and the incident was highly publicized. In an interview on ‘Red Table Talk,’ she revealed that there were times she regretted failing. Now, however, she is grateful to be alive. “I’ve just found more and more joys in life and more ways to cope and more ways to like, really live instead of just exist,” she said.
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Naomi Osaka
Tennis prodigy Naomi Osaka was hit with a US$15,000 fine for not speaking to the media due to her mental health following her first match of the 2021 French Open. The Grand Slam tournaments announced in a joint statement on May 30 that Osaka, currently the No. 2 player in the world, did not meet her “contractual media obligations” and warned that “repeat violations attract tougher sanctions.” Osaka has scorned the organization’s disregard for the mental health of their athletes.
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Ryan Reynolds
Ryan Reynolds has spoken about his struggles with anxiety in the past, but he shared a personal post for Mental Health Awareness Month. He revealed that he keeps a strict schedule in order to combat his anxiety, something that millions of people struggle with. “I know I am not alone, and more importantly, to all those like me who overschedule, overthink, overwork, over-worry and over-everything, please know you are not alone.”
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Grimes
Grimes shared on Instagram that she suffered a serious panic attack. It occurred shortly after her partner, Elon Musk, hosted SNL, and the attack was so severe that she ended up in hospital. Grimes told her followers that it was a scary experience and that she’ll likely be starting therapy.
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Kendall Jenner
In Vogue’s digital series, ‘Open-Minded: Unpacking Anxiety,’ Jenner shared that she has suffered from anxiety and hypochondria for years. She acknowledged that she’s privileged, but said that she’s still a human being with feelings and emotions, and they’re not always good. Jenner recalls having panic attacks that made her feel like her heart was failing and she was going to die. She also says she’s experiencing some anxiety at the return to normal life as the pandemic is fading.
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Gabrielle Union
The actress said she uses her “emotional fix-me toolkit” to cope, which involves logically working her way through the likelihood of her fears, and finding alternate routes which involve less triggers. “It’s been this way since ’92. It’s just something I do; second nature.”
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Reese Witherspoon
Reese Witherspoon opened up to Jameela Jamil on the actress’ ‘I Weigh’ podcast, where she explained that she’s been dealing with anxiety and depression for her entire life. Witherspoon also shone a light on her postpartum depression, during which time she relied on medication, and noted the benefits of therapy, which she’s been in since she was about 16.
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Halsey
The singer was diagnosed with bipolar at age 17, after attempting to take her own life. Her third album is the first one she’s ever worked on while manic.
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Tom DeLonge
The Blink-182 guitarist offered his support to a fan struggling with mental health issues. “YOU are why I do this […] we can be in charge of our own thoughts, the idea of who we are, what we can become.”
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Ariana Grande
The singer has previously revealed that she was diagnosed with PTSD following the Manchester Arena attack. On Instagram, she said that Jim Carrey’s words had actually helped her.
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Jim Carrey
The actor is known for being outspoken about his depression, and he took to Twitter to return the admiration for his unexpected longtime fan, praising Grande for her own openness.
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Bebe Rexha
Bebe Rexha posted on Twitter on April 15, 2019, revealing that she suffers from bipolar disorder. She says that she’s “not ashamed” of her disorder, and that she’s not looking for pity, but for acceptance.
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Jennifer Lawrence
The actress described her experience with anxiety associated with trying to cope with life as a public figure in an interview with The New York Times.
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Demi Lovato
The singer has become a sort of poster child for mental health awareness for her efforts to remove stigma by openly discussing her bipolar diagnosis and addiction. She’s also behind the campaign ‘Be Vocal: Speak Up For Mental Health.’
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Catherine Zeta-Jones
Catherine Zeta-Jones revealed she has been diagnosed as bipolar, which means she suffers from extreme highs and lows.
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Emma Thompson
Emma Thompson has battled severe depression for most of her life.
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Kesha
The singer has candidly opened up her struggles with an eating disorder, which she sought help for in 2014. In a piece she wrote for Time, she urged readers to take a break from attempting to please everyone and be kind to themselves.
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Kendrick Lamar
The rapper talked candidly in a 2015 interview about his struggles with depression and thoughts of self-harm, which feature prominently in his album ‘To Pimp a Butterfly.’
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Cara Delevingne
Cara Delevingne has also opened up about her struggles with mental illness, saying that she was hit with a huge wave of depression, self-hatred, and anxiety that resulted in self-harm.
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Adele
Adele has opened up about slipping in and out of depression and dealing with anxiety.
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Emma Stone
The actress has opened up about her history with panic attack disorder and how therapy and acting help her cope with the condition.
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Michelle Williams
The former Destiny’s Child star sought help for mental health issues. The singer took to Instagram to write a touching message about her experience and to urge others “to recognize when it’s time to seek help.”
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Ellie Goulding
Ellie Goulding opened up about having cognitive behavioral therapy to battle negative thoughts around the time her career was taking off.
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Zayn Malik
Zayn Malik has said he sometimes suffers from depression and extreme anxiety, which has forced him to cancel shows in major cities.
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J.K. Rowling
J.K. Rowling has said that she suffered from severe depression in her twenties.
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Brooke Shields
The actress has been vocal about developing postpartum depression after the birth of her first child, which pushed her to contemplate taking her own life, and her subsequent decision to take medication.
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Princess Diana
Princess Diana spoke candidly about her experience with postpartum depression and self-harm in her 1995 interview with Martin Bashir.
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Olly Alexander
Olly Alexander, lead singer of Years and Years, struggled with self-harm, bulimia, and depression.
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Gabourey Sidibe
In her memoir ‘This Is Just My Face: Try Not to Stare,’ the actress discusses her struggles with depression and bulimia in college, as well as her decision to seek professional help.
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Will Young
Will Young has spoken about his struggles with depression, saying that he even considered breaking his legs to get out of performing in ‘Strictly Come Dancing.’
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Stacey Solomon
Stacey Solomon found it hard to bond with her baby due to her postnatal depression.
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Melanie Chisholm
Mel C revealed that she suffered from mental health issues while she was in the Spice Girls.
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James Arthur
James Arthur said he suffered from depression and contemplated taking his own life after being dropped from Simon Cowell’s record label.
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Jade Thirlwall
Jade has spoken out about her battle with depression and anorexia.
So how do you know if you or someone you love has depression? Read on to find out.
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What to look for?
Depression varies from person to person, but there are some common signs and symptoms to look out for. First off is feelings of helplessness. Saying things like “It would be better if I weren’t here” or “I want out” are an indication of suicidal tendencies in a person.
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Lack of interest
The lack of interest in things you once found pleasurable could mean your brain is not producing enough serotonin.
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Mood swings
A sudden switch from sadness to extreme calm, or appearing to be happy can be a warning sign.
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Change in weight
Significant weight loss or weight gain are commonly associated with depression.
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Change in appetite
This can be due to emotional overeating or loss of appetite, which can both indicators of mental health struggles.
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Anxiety
Anxiety and depression are often linked. People with depression can often experience symptoms such as nervousness and agitation, and have issues concentrating.
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Insomnia
Insomnia is also a common affliction for people who suffer from depression.
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Fatigue
Fatigue or the slowing down of physical movements, speech, and thought processes are all closely linked to depression and other mental disorders.
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Self-loathing
Strong feelings of worthlessness, guilt, and self-loathing are causes for concern.
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Irritability
Feeling agitated, restless, or even violent could mean you or a loved one is suffering from extreme mood swings or depression.
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Constant headaches
Headaches that are related to depression are usually dull and generalized.
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Unexplained aches and pains
An increase in physical complaints such as headaches, back pain, aching muscles, and stomach pain could be related to mental health.
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Recklessness
Escapist behaviour such as substance abuse, compulsive gambling, reckless driving, or dangerous sports could mean the person in question is suffering from depression.
