It’s easy for us to assume that celebrities have a glamorous, perfect life, but some celebrities like to remind us that they are just human beings, like you and me. Just because they have thousands of fans and lots of money doesn’t mean that they have everything, and some celebrities use their platform to remind us of that, making them incredible and inspiring role models.
1. Lili Reinhart
Lili Reinhart has been very open about her struggle with mental illness. The Riverdale star has expressed her admiration for those who are open about their mental illness and acting against mental illness to raise awareness. Lili told Cosmopolitan in an interview that her friends would say, ‘You have no reason to be upset,’ and is therefore trying to send out a message that your feelings are validated and that sometimes mental illness doesn’t have a reason – it just happens.
2. Demi Lovato
Demi is not one to shy away from confronting her feelings, and she is now using her platform to remind her millions of fans that it’s okay to feel how you feel, and that you are going to recover from what you are going through. The Sorry Not Sorry singer has suffered from bulimia, bipolar disorder, self-harm, drugs, and alcohol problems. Demi has put in a lot of time lately to focus on herself, and whatever she’s doing is definitely working – she’s looking healthier and happier than ever. Not only has she been honest about how much she has suffered, but she has also shown her fans how she has recovered from those struggles. You go, girl!
3. James Arthur
James Arthur has been very honest recently about his struggles with anxiety, and revealed in 2016 that he still suffers from anxiety every single day. The Say You Won’t Let Go singer admitted on The Jonathon Ross Show that he was very inspired by the movement for mental health, and that he wanted to be a part of that by telling his story. He admitted that he had panic attacks so severe he would ‘call for an ambulance thinking he was dying’. He acknowledged that it may sound ridiculous to some people, but completely understandable to others.
4. Jennifer Lawrence
Jennifer Lawrence revealed in 2013 that she had seen a psychologist for her anxiety, but nothing ever seemed to work. The Hunger Games actress eventually found the most therapeutic thing for her anxiety – acting. ”When I was acting on stage, my mom started to see a change in me,” she told Madame Figaro, a French magazine. Finally finding a passion in life and something that she was very happy doing proved more effective for her mental health than any therapy or medication. Hopefully this means we will be seeing her doing many more films for a long time.
5. Selena Gomez
Love her or hate her, you have to admit that Selena has had a particularly rough time these last few years and has been incredibly brave. In 2016, Selena cancelled the remainder of her Revival tour because of anxiety and depression. For a while she appeared to be gone from Instagram, and hadn’t even been seen by paparazzi for a while. She had actually checked herself into rehabilitation for her mental illness problems due to lupus. Selena has learnt the hard way that self-care is important. And we can’t wait until she releases a new album and starts killing it in the music industry again!
These inspiring celebrities show that no matter how much you have, mental illness can still affect you. Being famous and rich doesn’t make you immune to depression, anxiety, and many other mental illness issues that millions of people face today. At least young people suffering with such problems have so many people to look up who encourage you to get help and not be ashamed to admit that you need help.