Carrie Fischer. Demi Lovato. Lady Gaga. Wayne Brady.Robin Williams.
Anthony Bourdain.
All of these celebrites have either spoken about their depression or the media exposed it in some way. Three of these celebrities are still alive, three are not, and two had taken their own lives: Mr Bourdain on June 8th, 2018 and Mr. Williams on August 11th, 2014.
I know that media can be ruthless with taking the personal lives of these celebrities and exploit the darkness that they have/were going through just for viewership. Certainly, there is cruelty with that. That further solidifies that I am sure there is a dreaded cost of being a celebrity since your privacy isn’t very private, but still-not only does your light shine, but your darkness is out there too??I cannot imagine a life like that.
I want to drop the term “celebrity” and refer to the above names as people. We not-so-popular people forget that they are people too. Those people have been entertainers to some degree in their respective professions, while being prompted to to be “fake happy” in front of the camera often times. Sure, they get paid for it but depression is a monster that they too have to hide away at times-also in front of strangers, mind you. To his credit, Mr. Bourdain was vocal about his troubles, yet according to Rose McGowan on her interview with People about Bourdain, Mr. Bourdain did not take his doctor’s orders. Regardless of his reason, it is evident that he lived with the dark pain of depression, and chances are you do too.
I’m not a psychiatrist, but depression can come in many forms. I know someone who was diagnosed with being bi-polar. He was under treatment for several years. I am not sure if he always did take his medicine but I know he is not on it now. Should he be?Probably. As his friend, I have noticed his hyper sense of energy, but then would talk to him when he is at his deepest lows. He is very open about the pain that he feels and the healing that he needs. I feel helpless when I hear that from him because I know that I don’t have an answer for him that directly ministers to his pain. However, I do wonder, did the pain begin at some point?If so, when? How??
According to Noel R. Hunter, Psy. D., bi-polar disorder is not an entity,rather it is a consummation of traumatic experiences and behaviors. She wanted to expose the popular beliefs that medical personnel subscribe to: bi-polar disorder is a result of chemical imbalance, bi-polar disorder damages the brain, bi-polar disorder is a disease that kills people, and so on.Hands down, she is more authorative to answer for questions about mental health than I am, so it was not hard to lock in on her article.
I bring up her article because I am scared to think of the consequences people will suffer later on in life because of what they have or will go through in their early years of life. It is common knowledge that years 1-5 are the most tender and formative years for a person’s psyche, and then every year after that is a battleground for fervent growth or crippling torture, depending on the kinds of people we have to raise us. That is just my opinion. You don’t have to be a scientist to know that physical, mental, emotional, psychological, medicinal and other abuses lead to disorders like bi-polar disorder, anorexia, and PTSD. With the monster of depression smothering us through those dark trials, is there hope to break free??
Yes, there is hope.
First, I will say that in Jesus, there is hope for anyone who wants it. Second, I want to be practical with this a little more. There are communities of people who have found joy, knowing that there are others who have fought the same fight with depression. Seek them and you will find! Third, I’ll tell you where you won’t find hope. Alone, by yourself, while being violently assaulted by your inner pain and despair that subsequently lies to you-further damaging your soul like you’re being bullied. That’s not the way to go.
Sometime in the near future, I will expound on the subject of depression. I just wanted to break the ice on the topic before I get back to my busy life!
If you have received treatment for depression, PTSD or the like, let me know in the comments. I’d like to know your story and how you’ve overcome your inner darkness.
Love Yourself Blog 