Tuesday night, rapper Kid Cudi posted a message to Facebook letting fans know that he had checked himself into rehab on Monday. In the message, he writes, "I am not at peace." He detailed his fight with depression, anxiety, and suicidal urges, saying that the best thing for himself and his daughter was to get help.
The post is deeply personal, leaving Kid Cudi extremely vulnerable. He set aside his ego, the standards set forth by society for rappers, and his fans' expectations in order to be completely genuine and honest. That takes an immense amount of courage.
In a society where mental illness is heavily stigmatized (however, things are changing--slowly), Kid Cudi took a huge step in admitting publicly that he is dealing with depression. As Vine and YouTube star MeechOnMars depicts in his new video, "Be Happy," there is a stereotype that depression is only a "white" thing--that black males cannot suffer from mental illness.
It is clear that Kid Cudi feels the weight of that stereotype and more. At the end of his message, he says, "I feel like shit, I feel so ashamed. I'm sorry." There is nothing for him to be ashamed of, nothing for him to apologize for--after all, his team at Republic Records is going to keep his fans updated with new music while Cudi is away at rehab. Furthermore, Cudi should not feel obligated to apologize for his mental health. No one should.
Mental illness needs to be treated similarly to how we treat physical illness. When someone has a broken leg, they are expected to go get help from a professional. So why is it, then, that when a person says they feel depressed or is having issues with anxiety, they are looked down upon and criticized?
The most courageous thing a person can do is to reach out for help. Kid Cudi should serve not only as an inspiration for people struggling with similar battles, but also as an indication of the stigma surrounding mental health. Shame should be the last thing he feels right now.
It's imperative that we remember that celebrities are human beings. They deal with mental health and other issues just like the rest of us--perhaps on a greater scale. The ones who make us laugh the hardest are sometimes the most depressed, as we saw when Robin Williams committed suicide in 2014. And the artists who inspire us the most--the ones we bump to before a basketball game, the ones we dance to at parties--are sometimes the most tortured.
Kid Cudi should not be apologizing for his depression. He owes his fans nothing; his mental health comes before anything else. Remember: he's a human being before he is an entertainer.
If you or a friend is struggling with depression or another disorder, I encourage both you and them to get help. There is absolutely no shame in getting better!
Finally, if you or someone you know is suicidal, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255), which is available toll-free, 24/7.
