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13 Celebrity Moms Who Got Super Real About Depression

by Meg Kehoe

When you suffer from depression, it can be difficult discuss your battle with others. Opening yourself up to anyone about the parts of you that you can't always explain or reconcile can be tough. As a mom, it can be even more difficult to open up, because you're officially considered a caregiver. Admitting that you're struggling when you feel like you should be focusing on the care of others isn't always the easiest. But ever since celebrity moms who got super real about depression have come forward to talk about their experiences with depression, it's a little bit easier.

It helps when celebrity mothers come forward to talk about personal issues, like anxiety, depression (postpartum or otherwise), fertility, co-parenting, and other topics that are traditionally taboo. It helps moms who aren't celebrities realize that they are not alone, and that even mothers who seem to lead spectacularly glamorous lives struggle just like them. There's no shame in struggling as a mother, whether it's from depression or something else. Talking about it, just as these celebrity mothers have, can help you through your tough time, and find allies in other mothers along the way.

Read onto learn about celebrity moms who opened up about depression and, as a result, have made it easier for others to talk about.

1

Angelina Jolie

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In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Angelina Jolie opened up about battling depression in her teen"I didn't know where to put myself," Jolie told the publication. She went on to speak about being raised in a world with fame and money, and feeling unappreciative and empty about it all. Though not all moms can relate to Jolie's struggles in an upperclass environment, it is easy to relate to not feeling like you know where you belong, even when you've got a purpose in life.

2

Halle Berry

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After her marriage fell apart, Halle Berry didn't know how to cope. In an interview with Ebony, Berry said she went and sat in her garage to cry, not sure how she would face the coming rollercoaster. "It beat me down to the lowest of lows," she said. Berry went on to discuss suicidal thoughts, and how she didn't think she really wanted to end her life, but that she wanted to end the pain she was suffering from. It's bravery like Berry's that helps end stigmas around mental health and depression.

3

Mandy Moore

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In an interview with Jane magazine, Mandy Moore opened up about her depression. According to the Washington Post, Moore said she "felt really low, really sad" for no reason. She went on to say that she's always thought of herself as a very positive person, so she felt like a switch had flipped in her, and she couldn't figure out why.

4

Emma Thompson

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Emma Thompson spoke to Now magazine about her depression. "I’ve certainly had clinical depression," Thompson said. Absolutely I’ve had it before, at regular intervals through my life. I know what that is like." In 2010,Hollywood Reported noted that Thompson's depression forced her to take a sabbatical from work, showing that even moms with glamorous jobs, need to step back sometimes to focus on self care.

5

Ashley Judd

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In an interview with People, Ashley Judd said she struggled with depression for nearly her entire life, considered suicide as a sixth-grader, and underwent rehab for depression in 2006. "I would have died without it," she told the magazine. She also opened up about her struggles with depression in her book, All That Is Bitter & Sweet, sharing her intimate personal struggles with readers, making anyone who's struggled with depression feel a little bit less alone.

6

Gwyneth Paltrow

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Gwyneth Paltrow opened up to Good Housekeeping about her struggle with depression, which began two years after the birth of her son Moses. On the interview, Paltrow said she didn't suspect postpartum depression until her husband brought up the idea. "I thought postpartum depression meant you were sobbing every single day and incapable of looking after a child," she said. As many moms who suffer from depression (postpartum or otherwise) know, that's not always the case. If you think you may be suffering from postpartum depression, talk to your healthcare provider about seeking treatment.

7

Kristen Bell

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In an interview for Off Camera, Kristen Bell opened up about her struggles with anxiety and depression. "It really hurts my feelings when I know I'm not liked," she said. "And I know that's not very healthy, and I fight it all the time." Bell went on to discuss how depression runs in her family, and how she's struggled with it from a young age. As many moms who have depression in their families know, escaping the cycle of depression can be difficult, and Bell's opening up about her family's struggle paves the way for anyone who feels defeated by their depression to seek help, and feel unashamed to do so.

8

Brooke Shields

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Brooke Shields was one of the first celebrities to speak openly about her struggle with postpartum depression. In her 2005 book, Down Came the Rain: My Journey Through Postpartum Depression, she covered her experience with postpartum depression. Shields also defended her decision to take medication in an opinion piece published in the New York Times, noting that she received an outpouring of support she received from other mothers who had been in a similar position. Sometimes, all it takes is talking about it to find support.

9

Roseanne Barr

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In a 2006 interview with CNN, Rosanne Barr was open about how she copes with her depression, Roseanne Barr was very frank and open with the audience. "I had a good therapist," Barr said. She went on to discuss what a believer she was in meditation, and how she believed meditation to be a very healing process for her.

10

Sheryl Crow

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According to Questia, singer Sheryl Crow was medically diagnosed with depression that has recurred several times in her life. The article noted that the singer used a a fitness and meditation regime helped her through her dark days, even though she tried Prozac and therapy to heal her. Crow's story just goes to show that different solutions work for different people.

11

Catherine Zeta-Jones

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In 2011, Catherine Zeta-Jones revealed that she had bipolar II disorder, which causes severe depression, according to the Daily Mail.

12

Carrie Fisher

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In an interview with WebMD, Carrie Fisher said she was hesitant to accept the diagnosis of bipolar disorder. "The first time they said the word bipolar to me was when I was 24," she said. "The diagnoses when I accepted it? I was 29." Even celebrities who seem to have the world at their feet struggle with accepting their depression.

13

LeAnn Rimes

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In an interview with People, LeAnn Rimes talked about her battle with depression. "I had been crying all day, staying in bed," she said. "I've had all eyes on me since I was 13, so there was a lot to sift through. I started dealing with emotions I had ignored." She went on to speak about how she sought treatment for her depression, and how far she's come since seeking that treatment.