(Manic) Depression Confessions: Christina Ricci and Mel Gibson

In 2007 and 2008, many celebrities have come out of the closet about struggling with mental illness.

Just a brief rundown:

- Delta Burke (serious clinical depression)

- Patrick Dempsey (depression, for about two days)

- Alicia Keys (depression)

- Drew Carey (depression)

- Fall-Out Boy's Pete Wentz (manic-depression - his words)

- Rebecca Romijn (post-wedding blues)

- Corey Feldman (depression, probably just from being Corey Feldman)

- Kelly Osbourne (depression blamed on too much money. No, seriously.)

- Zach Braff (depression)

- Mandy Moore (depression, hopefully not at the same time)

- Anne Hathaway (anxiety as a teen)

- Rosie O'Donnell (depression)

- Halle Berry (depression spurred by asshole boyfriends)

That's to say nothing of the old standbys: Axl Rose (bipolar); Margot Kidder (bipolar); Anne Heche (bipolar); Carrie Fisher (bipolar); and Robert Downey Jr. (who the hell knows?)

Trotting out celeb names like this isn't just a fun party game (which is good, because that would be an unappealing party). It's actually vaguely meaningful, because you can then say to your friends, "Look, don't give me any crap about taking meds and seeing my psychiatrist. I might end up hosting The Price Is Right, or starring in the next Marvel superhero adaptation, or making a Grammy Award-winning blockbuster CD." Or you might want to forget the Price Is Right part. Replacing Bob Barker isn't so cool.

Celebs who come out of the crazy closet are saying to kids (and adults) that it's all right to talk about this stuff, that there's nothing to be ashamed of. Famous people have so much to lose, yet they disclose.

So in the interest of further destigmatization and in order to appreciate the celebs who are willing to be frank, let's examine the latest revelations.

First of all, kudos to Christina Ricci, currently starring in Speed Racer. According to Now magazine, young Ricci fought anorexia and depression in her even younger years:

...the actress, 28, says she overcame her problems with the help of a psychiatrist.

'These are things you can't always deal with alone, so I went to therapy,' she tells The Independent.

'Sometimes people need to seek professional help. Along the way I discovered that you can choose to be happy.

'If you choose to let go of your self-consciousness and insecurities about physical appearance, then you'll get to a place where you are present to see the world and enjoy yourself.'

I think that's admirable coming from a woman whose forehead is larger than my living room.

Less admirable, perhaps, is the revelation from the Sydney Morning Herald that many years ago, Mel Gibson, that wacky Aussie, described himself as "manic depressive."

Mel Gibson talks about being diagnosed as bipolar in a new documentary about the NIDA acting class of 1977. ...

"I had really good highs ,but some very low lows," Gibson said. "I found out recently I'm manic depressive."

While the interview dates back to 2002, the actor and director, who made headlines with a drunken outburst two years ago, has rarely talked about the condition.

Rarely? How about never? He probably doesn't want to get a metaphorical (or literal, now that I think about it) spanking from Tom Cruise and the Scientologists, nor does he want to compromise his rep as ... a drunk and anti-Semite.

Mel, if you're out there, come out of the closet! The National Alliance on Mental Illness has its annual Los Angeles County walk on Oct. 4. It would be perfect for you. Show your pride and give me, a onetime Jewish fan, my faith back.

Comments

[aef]

Liz -- thanks for this post, even if the attempts at humor didn't pan out! I was diagnosed with bipolar ii nearly three years ago, and I am struggling with how to integrate this diagnosis into my public identity.
Like other posters here, I get angered by flip comments about mental illness. At the same time, I long for a future in which mental illness is just another chronic condition, like alcoholism or diabetes. When I envision that future, I think it will have two components. One is that others will be able to talk about mental illness with empathy. Another is that the mentally ill will feel free enough to share their experiences -- from the traumatic to the humorous.
I think sharing the names of celebrities who have disclosed struggles with mental illness is a move in the right direction. I also think that it is helpful to present them as multidimensional people -- with quirks that have nada to do with mental illness -- rather than put them up on a saintly pedestal.
I know that the mentally ill have a *long* way to go to achieve acceptance. I just hope that as a community, we allow each other the latitude to try different approaches to get the message across. We face complex biases, and it may take a varied set of messages to reach people. I feel like we owe it to future generations to fully engage our creativity, even if it means getting the message

[RaisingAwareness]

You can snap people out of depression sometimes within 5 minutes using very basic Scientology techniques. You can even learn these techniques in less than a couple minutes. I know because I've learned them and have done this without fail for dozens of individuals who were suffering from losses, trauma and even extreme, prolonged depression. I've also been helped myself many times with this invaluable technology.

Once you've snapped a couple family members or friends out of a deep depression with such ease you know you've come into something special. You'll also quickly realize that all those ads and all those "doctors" who say depression is a brain disease treatable only with drugs and ECT are full of it and are just trying to sell more of their product and services which I might add are riddled with potentially extreme and life-threatening side-effects.

Many basic Scientology techniques are available at http://www.scientologyhandbook.org or at your local library.

It worked for me.

[PatA]

"""I have bipolar disorder with psychotic episodes. I've been living with this illness since 1986, when I was raped and the illness -- which runs in my family -- was supposedly triggered by the trauma."
I have been raped, assaulted, had 11 surgeries for breast cancer related problems, divorced twice (once very painfully), am watching my son-in-law recover from horrible injuries that he sustained in Iraq, two tours, defrauded out of a home in New Mexico and an unemployed right now due to the mastectomy issues.
I don't believe that any one of those things triggered my bipolar II. I will not let my life be defined by the disease of bipolar and therefore deal with it as have dealt with my mastectomy 34 years ago. I certainly couldn't blame having kidney disease on any of the trauma that life has dealt me.
I really appreciate your apology, but it is apparent that your comments set alot of people off and it also hurt us.
Maybe you could just write about mental health issues in the venues that you detailed in your comments.

Thank you, PatA, Lockhart, Texas

[LizSpikol]

Hi Pat,

I agree that trauma doesn't necessarily trigger mental illness, though it is a theory, especially in the realm of treating schizophrenia, that has growing currency with mental health professionals. In my case, several doctors told me my bipolar illness might have developed due to genetic predisposition, but that the rape and subsequent psychotic break were a significant factor in the illness emerging with full force.

Of course, that's my story and mine alone. I believe that mental illness affects each of us differently, and we each travel a different road to our recovery. My family is participating now in a research study at Johns Hopkins University. It's about the development of bipolar disorder among Ashkenazi Jews. So there are so many complicated factors that distinguish people and the etiology of disease.

I am so sorry to hear about all you've suffered, but you sound like an incredible person for refusing to let your life be defined by it. As for Texas, I lived there for several years. I never got to Lockhart, but I hope I haven't alienated the townspeople entirely!

[LizSpikol]

Hi, everyone. I'm so sorry to have inadvertently offended people. Perhaps I should explain.

I have bipolar disorder with psychotic episodes. I've been living with this illness since 1986, when I was raped and the illness -- which runs in my family -- was supposedly triggered by the trauma. I have been hospitalized numerous times, been on countless medications, and had shock treatments. I lived, for seven years, completely outside of mainstream society -- on disability and out of work. I was the person you see in the supermarket talking to herself.

When I began my process of recovery, and I started working as a writer and editor, I made it my career to cover mental health issues. My print column, The Trouble With Spikol, which has been running in Philadelphia Weekly for nine years, is often about that topic. My blog, thetrouble­withspikol­.com, is a mental health blog. I have often served as a spokesperson at recovery conferences and currently work at a community mental health center as a Certified Peer Specialist.

I forget sometimes that new readers of my work don't know all this. My blog readers have been reading my celebrity Depression Confessions for years now, and understand the glib tone. I always try to bring humor to these topics because if I didn't, I might cry sometimes from how hard it's been. In this case, I regret any offense I've caused, and I promise to do a better job covering mental health issues for HuffPost in the

[Raemond]

I don't think I read the same post as the proud liberal for truth guy.

I've also had experience of loved ones with mental issues, and I didn't find this article offensive or trivial.

"Celebs who come out of the crazy closet are saying to kids (and adults) that it's all right to talk about this stuff, that there's nothing to be ashamed of. Famous people have so much to lose, yet they disclose."

ok so crazy closet may not be particularly flattering of PC, but most people I know with serious mental health issues are reclaiming the word crazy because they're fed up over the PC police trying to pussyfoot around the issue.

As to the Christian Ricci comment, yeah it was unnecessary, but I don't think it was intended to be particularly offensive, just a poor attempt at humour.

And the idea of Kelly Osbourne being depressed because her family has too much money really is laughable. I might belive she was depressed because she has weight issues, substance abuse issues and no percievable talent, but the "poor little rich kid" argument carries no weight with me. If the money is the problem feel free to give all to me, or donate it to the reconstruction of new Orleans or something.

Odd that all the "crazy" people I know have a much better sense of humour about these issues than the "sane" people who claim to be sticking up for them.

[proudliberal4truth]

As the father of a son who is suffering terribly from depression and anxiety, I'm thoroughly pissed at your post! You trivialize this serious mental disease and demean people who are trying to overcome the problems associated with this affliction...just because they are celebrities. You should be ashamed of yourself for this post. Some families like mine KNOW that pain that this disease causes and you can't imagine what we go through for the people we love.

[Pythia]

What a rude, mean-spirited attack on Cristina Ricci, mocking a physical feature she has no control over. Perhaps you should use one of those connections you flout to Physiciatric Associations, asking for help as to why you felt compelled to include such a malicious jab into your blog? Wait... the answer might be contained in your bio. Seems you're a 'wanna be' actress who's hoping desperately for something more to add to your imdb resume. If I could flag YOU as abusive? I would.

Tacky. Tasteless and tacky...

[unfettered]

Wow! Ms. Spikol that party you described as 'unappealing' sounds no worse than that bitchy ,snide, little mud slinging fest you just had. You did manage to get a plug in for The National Alliance on Mental Illness but, only just barely. Sounds like you need some therapy.

[PatA]

I endured "major clinical depression" most of my life and have been on a variety of meds with very little success. I found a psychiatrist last year who properly diagnosed me as bipolar II and prescribed the right meds.
Mental health issues create problems that most people can't handle, but we soldier on and get things done.
I am grateful that others have had the guts to divulge something that is sensitive and could be career damaging. It helps the mental health field tremendously,
""""Celebs who come out of the crazy closet are saying to kids (and adults) that it's all right to talk about this stuff, that there's nothing to be ashamed of. Famous people have so much to lose, yet they disclose.""""
Why isn't it okay for kids and adults to discuss their mental issues and not be ashamed of it? What would you be losing if you ( you're not famous) disclosed that you have pancreatic cancer? Think about it.
You are the only person that I've ever known to diss celebrities because they talked about their mental health.
There are also well known sports figures who have made public that they are dealing with depression, anxiety, multiple personalites, etc.
I am sorry for you and I hope that someday you'll become more sensitive and less disrespectful.

[normathumb]

How else can those who achieved fame and wealth at an early age claim to have paid their dues. Oh, the burden of being rich and famous. I know those pesky papparazzi can be down right scary and they will follow you to every luxury hotel in whatever exotic foriegn locale you can dream up, and it is so hard to find a five star hotel in some places. Might just have to do a Brando and buy a private island in the south Pacific just to get some rest. All thjis and still I am sad. I have proven money cant buy happiness but it sure makes misery easier to cope with.

[ellen63]

Why is it that every time a celebrity behaves badly, they suddenly turn into self-diagnosed bipolar patients? Why not just garden-variety hysteria? Or clinical depression? Or obsessive-­compulsive disorder? Better yet: Personality Disorder. Patricia Burstein

[oxfordreader]

"I think that's admirable coming from a woman whose forehead is larger than my living room."

first of all it's admirable coming from anyone. and your grossly exaggerated, offensive simile. it's rude and obnoxious for no reason.

and cristina is looking every bit the gorgeous self-confident, cool movie star lately.

and you?

[KristenfromMA]

Actually, I think that Christina is looking very 'hungry' these days, i.e. very, very thin. Not exactly a sign of letting go of one's insecurities. Not that I'm blaming her, since the pressure on young women (ok, all women) in Hollywood and beyond is very intense. I'm just saying that maybe she hasn't overcome the issue as much as she thinks.