Brad Pitt - mental health backlash coming?

26 January 2012 | 10:40 AM

Mental Health News

Brad Pitt is the latest of many celebrities to open up about their mental health problems, and showing that mental illness can happen to any of us. But could it all go wrong?

Brad Pitt depression Brad Pitt has spoken openly about his depression - and Rethink Mental Illness has welcomed his openness and bravery.

He's certainly not the first celebrity to talk frankly about their struggle with these issues. In the past 12 months, Catherine Zeta Jones, Stan Collymore, Jonny Wilkinson, Freddie Flintoff, Dean Windass, David Walliams - and possibly many more (can you think of any?) - have all spoken publicly about their mental health for the first time.

Others have spoken more frankly than before about their journey - Adam Ant, for example.

We applaud this openness - as our Director of Communications Mark Davies says of Brad Pitt,

"Everyone in the UK knows someone with some form of mental illness, whether depression, schizophrenia or bipolar. When people in the public eye talk about mental illness, it sends a powerful message to all who face it at some point in their lives."

Are there more famous people than ever opening up like this - and if so, is this a domino effect that will lead to unprecedented levels of openness?

Some may worry that, if every celebrity in the world with a mental health story opened up like this, the act would become devalued - that when ordinary members of the public did the same, it would spark more of the kind of absurd and offensive comments about 'trendiness' that Janet Street Porter made in 2010. Or the more recent and equally idiotic cases of glibness from Jeremy Clarkson and Megan Fox.

So, as openness increases, does stigma too?

We are proud to be behind Time to Change, the national anti- mental health stigma campaign. And although some people may lack understanding, most people really do listen, and value frankness about mental health. After all it affects so many of us, arguably there is no 'them and us' in mental health.

Yes, we believe that openness beats stigma. Honesty about mental health is worth the bravery it sometimes takes. And if you feel the same, you can be part of the Time to Change social movement.

But what do you think - do the rise of celebrity stories like this make you expect a backlash?

Tell us on Facebook and Twitter now

Comments

Please note: Rethink accepts no responsiblity for the content of comments in the blog.

Celeb Depression

It's good that celebrities discuss their mental illness openly... So long as it's palpably genuine and not reported concurrently with pics of them on hol beach or clubbing or at jet set functions in shades or mega shopping with a new girl/boy friend ! Because with such as depressive illness, that simply downgrades the public perception of how disabling the illness often is. Creative/actor/musician celebs are associated with narcissistic self indulgence and self inflicted substance abuse mental health problems. This image does nothing positive in terms of public perception of mental illness! It's bad enough that many employers still view such illness as akin to a bad case of feeling down and fed up or lazy. And most of the employers who do realise it's seriousness as a clinical condition... well, lets just say your cards are usually marked! (not usually explicitly of course), but promotion is prejudiced and likewise one's chances of surviving any staff "restructure" or "staff downsizing" are slim. I speak from experience after trusting an employer (large edu esatablishment) and being open - only to have it used against me in various ways from 'scapegoating' for my manager's failures, to ultimately being targetted for redundancy by said manager. He was found out for his competence shortcomings thereafter, in the absence of a mental health scapegoat. But that had already ended my career/livelihood when I was "thrown overboard". So yep, Celebs speak out! But only if it's palpably genuine.

2. At 03:46 PM on 27 January 2012 Madame de Merteuil wrote:

celebrities, mental health, drugs

I'm writing in response to 'working with depression'. You make excellent points. It is true that it is ways harder to have to cope with mental illness in the context of an ordinary life than it is to cope in the context o a celebrity lifestyle, with money and access to the best therapists. However, mental suffering is mental suffering, whether you live comfortably or not. Having access to better therapies will ease your recovery but it does not make your illness any less an illness. We must also remember that celebrities have less of a chance to hide away when they suffer. They're exposed to being ridiculed much more than we are. I guess I'm trying to say that mental health can be tough whatever your circumstances. I admire whoever comes out with their mental illness, be they celebrities or guys/girls next door. As for your point about drugs...have you wondered about the reasons why people, famous or not, may take drugs? Couldn't it be because they're mentally ill and not aware that they should be diagnosed? Drugs and MH is a bit of a chicken and egg situation: drugs can cause MH but also, MH can be at the root of the need for drugs.

3. At 02:27 AM on 27 January 2012 David wrote:

Good for you, celebs!

I disagree with Working With Depression. I think that there are more celebs with mental illness than have come out and I wish that more would. I don't think that it trivialises mental illness for them to do so. See it like this, WWD. You are depressed, but you can work. There are people with depression so slowed down by it that they can barely walk or talk or eat. They might say that you are trivialising depression by coming out as having it when you are well enough to work. The gap between them, unable to do anything except survive from moment to moment, and you, able to hold down a job, is greater than the gap between you and the celeb with their smiling picture in the paper. But you know that your experience of mental illness is as valid as anyone else's. Likewise celebs' experiences of it are as valid as anyone else's. As for drugs, there is a high comorbidity between some types of mental illness, such as mood disorders, and drink/drug dependency, so having a dependency problem does not of itself mean that one does not also have mental health problems. So bring it on, celebs, show that people with mental illness can be out there doing all sorts of things. Bring it into those popular magazines and celeb columns. Bring it onto television. Bring it onto websites. Use your celebrity to get word out that all sorts of people get mentally ill. Tell people about your depression, your anxiety, your psychosis, your eating disorders, your personality disorders, your dependency. Show that mental illness can strike anyone.

4. At 04:43 PM on 26 January 2012 working with depression wrote:

Celeb Mental Health

I'm sorry but I do believe many celebs use "Mental Health"when feeling a bit down,over indulging in drink and/or drugs, and lack of attention. There are many different forms of mental health, I have been treated for depression, for over 20 yrs. Its hard work it, I work full time, I am a single parent and have no family support. Every day I struggle to get up and face the world, I put on a face that says I don't care, bring it on, I appear tough and sometimes surly, no one messes with me. Inside I am crying and wonder why I bother. When Catherine Z. Jones had her breakdown and the papers spoke of her depression, while showing pictures of her out with her children in a t shirt and sunglasses looking great, that totally trivialised every day I spend trying to hold down my job, pay bills, and survive. Each day is harder, but I can't afford a break, or to take time off, financially or mentally. In 10 yrs there was 1 period where I had to take sick leave. I faced questions by colleagues as to how I could go out but not work, I had to talk to a complete stranger in our outsourced HR, I had to be available in case HR wanted to contact me. People actually said, what do you have to be depressed about, you have a good job, a house etc etc. It is getting to the point where I know I can't keep this up, the cracks are starting to show but I am scared to give up my job because I can't afford to live or keep my house. I'm not saying the celebs don't have MH issues, I'm saying it doesn't really help with probs facing the everday sufferers, and celebs getting caught on drugs is not MH