In an essay for Motto, the 35-year-old actress Kristen Bell, wrote about her mental illness. The Hollywood star unveiled the mental condition she had coped for the last 20 years, in an attempt to help others in the same situation.
In her writing, Bell considers that keeping in secret such a consuming illness, like depression, things could come to the boil, and consequences could be more destructive than if people decide to face it with honesty. Even if almost 20 years have passed since she started fighting against her illness, she had never before spoken publicly about her condition. What motivated the actress to open herself about her struggles is the idea of negatives aspects of “taboo subjects” in society.
Moreover, the actress noted that there was no link between sadness and depression. According to her, depression is far from “having a bad day and needing a hug.” When talking about what she had experienced with her mental condition, she has said that depression made her feel an “utter sense of isolation and loneliness,” and, at the same time, she considered herself as a person who could not give any contribution to her environment.
Individuals who struggle with this mental condition can get to a point when they see no way out and damages could be irreversible. The Hollywood actress came to this conclusion when she went out for help and realized the burden hidden in those obscure thoughts.
This is how Kristen Bell saw the light when facing her severe condition, and this is precisely the reason why she decided to share her experience. She hopes to help others in the same situation.
College was a ‘dark cloud’ for Bell
In her essay, Bell has stated that at the age of 18, her mother said that if one day she felt sought after a “dark cloud,” it was the right time to look for help. Her mom also said that there were so many options that could help her to go through that condition.
Bell also described her mom’s support as an “unconditional support” while overcoming her mental illness. Bell wrote that when she was in college, the dark cloud her mother had referred to, appeared. By that time, she felt overwhelmed by a negative aura which constantly displaced her over the shade. Bell could not understand why she felt that way. She did not find logical reasons for her depression. While studying at the New York University, she felt a strong feeling that dragged her down, even if she had no financial problems, had lots of friend and her future projects were pretty clear. It was the time when she decided to follow her mom’s advice and to seek help without shame about her condition.
Stigma about mental health issues
Bell also added that currently there is an extreme stigma about mental illness and those who suffers from it. According to her, mental illness must be recognized by everybody as any other illness that must be treated.
Source: Motto