Not only is Kristen Bell an accomplished actress best known for "Frozen," "Veronica Mars," "House of Lies," and "The Good Place," but she is also a leading advocate for mental health. As many of you know from my previous articles, I suffer from anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. As an aspiring clinical psychologist, I strive to help others eliminate the mental health stigma that we have in society. We should be able to talk about depression and anxiety just as easily as we speak about diabetes and high blood pressure. Kristen Bell, who has suffered from depression and anxiety since college, has opened up about her struggle and is tired of staying silent about her mental health.
In her "Times" magazine article, Bell says, "There is such an extreme stigma about mental health issues, and I can't make heads or tails of why it exists. Anxiety and depression are impervious to accolades or achievements. Anyone can be affected, despite their level of success or their place on the food chain. In fact, there is a good chance you know someone who is struggling with it since nearly 20 percent of American adults face some form of mental illness in their lifetime. So why aren't we talking about it?"
With someone as successful as Kristen Bell suffering from depression and anxiety, it really helps to normalize mental health.
Even though she is a millionaire and a successful actress, she is still human. She has a husband and two daughters. She loves sloths. She is a person like you and me. Mental illness is not "impervious to accolades or achievements." Anyone can suffer from it, whether you are a CEO or a waiter. To allow people to get the help that they need, we need to speak about mental health.
And we need to speak at it starting from a young age because it is affecting younger children more and more. Recently, my cousin who is 10-years-old had a friend die by suicide. He was only 11. When I heard of this, I was absolutely horrified. This poor child, who is in his first year of middle school, felt so isolated, so depressed, that he felt that suicide was the only way to ease his pain.
Just as her mother was open with her about mental illness, Kristen is open to her children about it, too. To be open and honest about mental illness is the best way to end the stigma. My mother and extended family have always been open with me about the mental struggles of my own family which helped me to feel comfortable to speak with a therapist. According to Bell, "You have to talk about your vulnerabilities with no shame." This is the first step in opening up a conversation about mental illness.
Instead of summarizing Bell's words, I'll let her eloquent words speak for themselves. Bell ends her essay stating, "We're all on team human here, and let's be honest—it's not an easy team to be on. It's stressful and taxing and worrisome, but it's also fulfilling and beautiful and bright. In order for all of us to experience the full breadth of team human, we have to communicate. Talking about how you're feeling is the first step to helping yourself. Depression is a problem that actually has so many solutions. Let's work together to find those solutions for each other and cast some light on a dark situation."
All I have to say is amen to that! Let us all work together to help end the stigma of mental health and to find answers for those who can't find a solution.
