To ask whether celebrities talking about mental health actually helps?

[Forthepurposesofthetape]

It seems as though lots of celebrities are talking about mental health struggles at the moment - sometimes it's hard to tell who is genuine and who is jumping on the bad wagon. I just wondered if people feel it is helpful to hear famous people talking about this or whether it makes you feel annoyed?

I think it's great that more people are talking about it but I'm not sure it makes me feel more comfortable talking about my own struggles. nor am I convinced that mental health services are going to be improved as a result. I guess the more high profile people talking about it the better.

I’m torn really. Part of me thinks it’s great, raising awareness, etc.

The other part of me thinks that yes there’s a lot of jumping on the bandwagon and this has caused a great deal of navel-gazing by people in general. We analyse every fleeting feeling now and moods/feelings that most people will experience at some point in their lives are now getting labelled as ‘depression’, ‘anxiety’ etc when I’m not sure a label or ‘diagnosis’ is always helpful.

I think it was mixed when Stephen fry said he won't be without his bipolar as it made him creative I remember other comments by the poor with bipolar you would give anything to be free of it as it didn't enhance their lives one tiny bit and him saying that just made it much worse

I think it helps that it shows that anyone can get mentally unwell but it also shows off the disparity in available treatment

I think there is also bandwagon jumping she was ill, I was "iller" (sic) i've overcome more obstacles than her; type of thing

I think it’s really important to use any possible platform to continue to reduce the stigma around mental health. An ex does this wherever possible as he also thinks it is incredibly important.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=S2j-zHuShw4

Raising awareness should be a good thing, but most of the time it presents a false image of the reality and the old "x got better, why can't you?".

Well x has access to private healthcare, can work as much or as little as they want, and they've got a cleaner and a cook.

It's a different world.

As someone who has had MH problems for almost 40 years, I find it quite dispiriting when slebs say they have ishews and yet they are starring in major films, completing books etc. I can barely get out of bed for months on end when it's bad. I can't help wondering if what they mean is 'I sometimes feel down and unmotivated between gigs' or 'I felt crap when I cut back on cocaine,' which is so different from: my experience of, 'My head is frozen and won't let my body get out of bed. This has been going on for six months and I'm too shattered even to shuffle round the corner to the GP and tell them.'

@woodcutbirds I agree, personally I don't have MH but I treated many patients with it though MH is not my speciality dentistry was,
Celebs carrying on actually just gives credence to the old wives tale "just pull your socks up and carry on " myth instead of realising patients with crippling mental health know they should brush teeth to avoid decay and gum disease but don't have the mental strength or energy nor can they muster up the will power to just do it, if it was really that easy everyone would be cured Mary Poppins style "spick spot" it is adding insult to injury to those paralysed by their MH

I think a lot of famous people either like to have a rags to riches story even if it turns out to be BS or MH issue, or something to make them seem more like a "normal" person iyswim. Nearly all celebrities who start a film/tv programme shortly after having a baby claim they have no nanny/help with childcare for example. (The baby obviously sleeps on demand while the a-lister is needed! ) That is not to say being rich/famous/successful means you are immune from MH issues, far from it, but like pp have said some may be more genuine than others. There are certain infamous people who clearly do have serious issues but don't seem to get appropriate help. (And i feel are probably exploited to sell stories/photoshoots etc)