I wouldn't name famous people in the entertainment world who have been depressed and have done the unthinkable. With all honesty, why is it that these people, who we think have everything, are still experiencing depression?

Because chronic depression isn't based around external factors, like how much money you have or how successful you are. It's due to chemical imbalance in your brain, the wiring in your brain.

 

Some people experience depression due to a big life event, like loss of a loved one or major stress - In that case, the depression may be remedied over time. But for folks who have been clinically diagnosed with depression, the answer is therapy and medicine.

 

The idea is eventually they won't need it, but think of it as your brain itself being sick. If you catch the flu, you take medicine right? You don't just tell someone "Oh suck it up, stop being sick, you're ok!" you tell them stay home, take that medicine and rest.

 

Chronic depression is your brain needing that same treatment.

Most of us love to treat celebrities as super humans of some sort but in reality (with the fame and money aside) they still have to contend with the pressures of life and striking that balance can be very elusive at times. @Zack T from what I've heard, chronic depression is less severe and tends to have fewer symptoms than major depression. Does a failure to detect and treat it early cause more serious symptoms?

Well I just used the word chronic to imply an on-going depression, whether it's major or minor or chronic or whatever classification :P

 

I've been diagnosed with major depression myself and while I have it under decent control these days, it's always there. There are always negative self-talk thoughts in my head that I have to exercise control over, there's always a chance I could just spiral down into negativity and sometimes I do. From the outside and even from my own perspective, I don't have much of anything to be depressed about really. My life is fairly good, all things considered. But it's not about what I have or don't have, it's my brain.

To be sincere, I have learned something new today and the fact of the matter is that there is a lot of misinformation (or a complete lack of it) in matters mental health. It would be more beneficial if there was more enlightenment and awareness about depression (in particular).

Fans are fickle. It doesn't take much for fans to turn on celebs with a vengeance. I'm sure some of the hatred that's spewed on social media affects some of them. And in a world where both actors and actresses are subjected to sexual harassment and worse, sometimes at a very young age, I imagine it altars their view of self-worth.

I was watching a clip earlier about mental issues in the entertainment business. Apparently, many actors/actresses get into it seeking some sort of validation due to challenges that they faced growing up. Such an approach may lead to depression if that life does not provide the level of fulfillment they thought it would.

Celebrities are just like the rest of us. We're all human. Aside from major depressive disorder, I think the circumstances of being a celebrity could absolutely drive someone to feeling down. It's a tough gig. Sure, they get a lot of money, but at what cost? I would never want to be famous.

I think you have to have a certain personality to go into show business. I also believe that money doesn't buy happiness. Many people in show business encounter terrible people and fake friends and the nasty truth is that people in the business don't care about anything other than money. That has to have a negative effect on your well-being as well..

I'm glad I've asked because I thought the fame and fortune that the celebrities have acquired will give them all the opportunity to get medical treatment for their depression. I learn now that depression is not as simple as other illnesses that we may incur.

Celebrities are normal human beings that have emotions and the fact that they are mostly in the limelight requires them to behave in a certain way so as to conform to the standards set by the entertainment industry. Even without some personality traits being innate, most celebrities learn how to handle this pressure, over time.