Below are a list of famous people who have experienced mental health illness (in alphabetical order and by condition):
Anxiety and depression often coexist. Bipolar is characterised by episodes of mania which can include anxiety and episodes of depression. So although many of these people could fit under more than one mental illness, I have placed them in the condition that I feel bet fits.
Anxiety
 Charles Darwin, Naturalist & Geologist [Deceased] According to Amanda Green |
 Heath Ledger, Actor [Deceased] According to Amanda Green |
 Matt Haig, Author |
 Vincent van Gogh, Painter [Deceased] According to Brain Pickings |
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Bipolar
 Ben Stiller, Comedian & Actor |
 Britney Spears, Singer |
 Carrie Fisher, Advocate & Actress [Deceased] According to Hannah Parkinson at The Guardian |
 Isaac Newton, Mathematician & Physicist [Deceased] According to Famous Bipolar People |
 Russell Brand, Comedian |
Depression
 Abraham Lincoln, Politician & Former President of the USA [Deceased] According to Amanda Green |
 Alanis Morissette, Singer |
 Anne Rice, Author |
 Charles Dickens, Writer [Deceased] According to Amanda Green |
 Denise Welch, Actor & Presenter |
 Dolly Parton, Singer |
 Drew Barrymore, Actress |
 Emma Thompson, Writer & Actress |
 George Michael, Singer [Deceased] According to People Music |
 Harrison Ford, Actor & Film Producer |
 J.K Rowling, Author |
 Jim Carrey, Comedian & Actor |
 Kylie Minogue, Singer |
 Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, Princess [Deceased] According to depression-guide.com |
 Robbie Williams, Singer |
 Robin Williams, Comedian & Actor [Deceased] According to The Independent |
 Ruby Wax, Comedian, Actress & Writer |
 Stephen Fry, Presenter & Writer |
 Stephen King, Author |
 Trisha Goddard, Presenter |
 Winston Churchill, Politician and Former Prime Minister of the UK [Deceased] According to Paul Foley at the Black Dog Institute. Winston Churchill famously called his depression the black dog. |
I know there’s loads of famous people who have experience of mental illness who are not on these lists. If you feel compelled to tell me whom I’ve missed off, please leave a comment below.
The point of this blog post is to show someone experiencing mental illness that they are not alone. That they are among the great and the good.
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Last year I wrote a series of blog posts with a Mental Health Focus. You can read them here: 5 Brilliant TED Talks About Mental Health, I’ve Been One of the 1 in 4, A List of Common Conditions and Treatment & Recovery. |
Write soon,
Antony
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