If you are having thoughts of suicide, or you are worried about someone who is, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It is free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day.
Many well known people have spoken publicly about living with depression, including Kristen Bell, Jon Hamm, Lady Gaga, Michael Phelps, Bruce Springsteen, Dwayne Johnson, DeMar DeRozan, Taraji P. Henson, Chrissy Teigen, and Ellen DeGeneres. In their own words, their stories share one message: depression is common, it is not weakness, and reaching out for support matters.
Key takeaways
- Depression affects people of every background, including people who look successful from the outside.
- According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 21.0 million U.S. adults had at least one major depressive episode in 2021.
- Several of the people below credit therapy, trusted people, or simply talking openly with helping them through it.
- Every story here comes from the person's own public statements, as reported by a reputable outlet. We do not guess at anyone's diagnosis.
Why Do Famous People's Depression Stories Matter?
Depression can make you feel alone and ashamed, as if everyone else is coping and you are the only one struggling. Hearing an Olympian, a rock legend, or a movie star describe the same heaviness can loosen that shame. It is also a reminder of how common depression is. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), an estimated 21.0 million U.S. adults had at least one major depressive episode in 2021, which is 8.3 percent of all adults.
Which Famous People Have Talked About Depression?
1. Kristen Bell
In a 2016 essay she wrote for TIME, the actor described depression this way: "For me, depression is not sadness. It's not having a bad day and needing a hug." She wrote that her mother told her that if a dark cloud ever seemed to follow her, she could get help, and that when that time came in college, she knew to seek help without shame. Her conclusion: "There's nothing weak about struggling with mental illness."
2. Jon Hamm
The Mad Men star lost his father when he was 20. In a 2010 interview with Britain's Observer, reported by CBS News, he said, "I struggled with chronic depression. I was in bad shape." He credited returning to school, friends whose parents rallied around him, and treatment: "I did do therapy and antidepressants for a brief period, which helped me." Questions about medication belong with a physician; Foundations provides talk therapy and is glad to work alongside your doctor.
3. Lady Gaga
Speaking to Billboard in 2015, as reported by TIME, the singer said, "I've suffered through depression and anxiety my entire life, I still suffer with it every single day." She founded the Born This Way Foundation in 2012 to support young people, and said she wants them to know "that depth that they feel as human beings is normal."
4. Michael Phelps
The Olympic swimmer told a mental health conference in 2018, as reported by CNN, that after Olympic Games he fell into "a major state of depression," and that after 2012 he reached a point where he had thoughts of suicide. He said he had been "very good at compartmentalizing things and stuffing things away that I didn't want to talk about." Getting help changed that. Looking back on starting treatment, he asked, "Why didn't I do this 10 years ago? But, I wasn't ready." His message now: "it's OK to not be OK."
5. Bruce Springsteen
In his 2016 memoir Born to Run, quoted by TIME, Springsteen wrote plainly about depression that returned in his sixties: "I was crushed between 60 and 62, good for a year, and out again from 63 to 64." His candor is a reminder that depression can come back, even after good years, and that a return is not a failure.
6. Dwayne Johnson
In a 2018 interview with the Express, reported by CBS News Texas, Johnson described the period after injuries ended his football hopes: "Struggle and pain is real. I was devastated and depressed." His advice for anyone watching someone they love struggle: "We have to help them through it and remind them they are not alone."
7. DeMar DeRozan
In February 2018 the NBA All Star posted, "This depression get the best of me...". He then told the Toronto Star, as reported by NBA.com, "no matter how indestructible we look like we are, we're all human at the end of the day." His openness rippled outward. Days later, Kevin Love wrote in The Players' Tribune that reading DeRozan's comments about depression helped prompt him to share his own experience of a panic attack during a November game, and how his team helped him find a therapist.
8. Taraji P. Henson
The Empire actor told Variety in 2019, "I suffer from depression," and described her anxiety rising as well. On therapy, she said, "That's the only way I can get through it. You need a professional who can give you exercises." She founded the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, named for her late father, to fight mental health stigma in the Black community. She has also described how hard it was to find a therapist who was the right fit for her son, a reminder that the right therapist match matters.
9. Chrissy Teigen
After the birth of her daughter in 2016, Teigen experienced postpartum depression. As reported by NBC News, she described it as "a sad existence. There were no highs," and said she did not know "it could sneak up so late or that it could happen to someone like me." In a 2017 Glamour essay she wrote that "just merely being open about it helps."
10. Ellen DeGeneres
Twenty years after her character came out on her sitcom in 1997, DeGeneres told The Associated Press about the fallout when the show ended: "I was really, really in a deep depression. I had never been so down in my life." Looking back, she said she learned "that no matter how dark something gets, and no matter how bad something gets, that there's always a possibility of good coming from it."
What Do These Stories Have in Common?
- Success does not prevent depression. Medals, hit records, and awards did not protect any of them.
- Silence makes it heavier. Phelps described stuffing feelings away, and Love wrote that he could have benefited from having someone to talk to over the years.
- Reaching out is part of coping. Bell, Hamm, Henson, and Phelps each describe seeking support as part of how they got through.
- Depression can return. Springsteen's account shows that a hard season can come back, and that it can be met again.
What Should You Do If You Recognize Yourself in These Stories?
Depression is more than a bad week. According to NIMH, common signs include a persistent sad, anxious, or empty mood, loss of interest in hobbies and activities, fatigue, changes in sleep or appetite, and feelings of guilt or worthlessness, lasting most of the day, nearly every day, for at least 2 weeks. If this sounds familiar, a good first step is to talk with a licensed therapist and with your doctor. You do not have to wait until things are unbearable. If winter tends to make it worse, our guide on why you get depressed in the winter covers seasonal patterns.
If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 now, and tell someone you trust. You deserve support right away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which famous people have talked openly about depression?
Public figures who have described their own depression include Kristen Bell, Jon Hamm, Lady Gaga, Michael Phelps, Bruce Springsteen, Dwayne Johnson, DeMar DeRozan, Taraji P. Henson, Chrissy Teigen, and Ellen DeGeneres. Each shared their experience in their own words through essays, interviews, or social media, as reported by major news outlets.
Does having depression mean someone is weak?
No. Depression is a common health condition, not a character flaw. As Kristen Bell wrote, there is nothing weak about struggling with mental illness. People with depression can be highly successful, and needing support says nothing about strength. Reaching out for help is a practical, courageous step toward feeling better.
How common is depression in the United States?
Very common. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 21.0 million U.S. adults had at least one major depressive episode in 2021, which is 8.3 percent of all adults. If you are struggling, you are far from alone, and effective help is available.
What should I do if I think I have depression?
Start by talking with a licensed therapist and your doctor about what you are noticing, such as low mood, lost interest, or changes in sleep and appetite. If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 right away to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day.
About this article: every quote and personal detail above comes from the named person's own public statements, as reported by the linked outlet, and was checked against that source on September 23, 2026. Claims we could not verify were removed.
Clinically reviewed by Chris Berger, M.A., LPC, NCC.
You do not have to carry depression quietly. Our caring therapists help Northern Colorado clients in Fort Collins, Loveland, and Windsor work through depression with proven talk therapy approaches. Your first consultation is free, and most new clients have their first appointment within about 48 hours. Schedule your free consultation or call 970.227.2770.
If you are having thoughts of suicide, please do not wait. Call or text 988 any time, day or night.
