Every year, it seems like more and more celebrities are talking openly and vulnerably about health issues — from mental health to chronic illness to infertility to disease — and this year was no different.
Before we dive in, though, let's be honest. Celebrities have an enormous amount of privilege and frankly, you might not find comfort in the fact that some famous person deals with the same disorder as you or a loved one does. Chances are, they have access to treatment, resources, and lifestyle choices you might not.
At the same time, representation is important, and celebrities are a huge help in getting the word out about disorders that are otherwise not talked about as much as they should be. Like, they have a huge platform.
Not to mention, when you get diagnosed with something or want to learn what a loved one is dealing with, a google searching yielding pages of symptoms and treatments and medical jargon can be scary. Seeing real people talking about and living with a health problem, on the other hand, can be comforting. As cheesy as it may sound, celebrities can be the first line of defense to help people feel less alone in what they're going through, no matter how individual an experience may be.
Plus, celebs are obviously human too and no amount of fame or money can protect you from the debilitating, frustrating, painful experiences of the body and mind. So here are some celebrities who have opened up about their personal health issues who might just know what you're going through.
1. Ariana Grande gave an emotional speech about what a challenging year it has been for her personally, no doubt referring to the death of Mac Miller and living with post-traumatic stress disorder following the Manchester attack.
2. Lady Gaga wrote an op-ed for World Mental Health Day that called for more awareness and resources.
3. Gina Rodriguez talked about coming to terms with her Hashimoto's disease, which used to feel like "the curse of a lifetime."
4. Gabrielle Union revealed that she was diagnosed with adenomyosis after a long history of fertility troubles.
5. Gisele Bündchen opened up about having panic attacks and suicidal thoughts.
6. Kristen Bell passed on some advice for anyone who, like her, deals with anxiety and depression.
In this video she recorded for the Child Mind Institute's #MyYoungerSelf campaign, Bell reminded fans that things are never as perfect as they look on Instagram or TV or in magazines.
"Don't be fooled by this game of perfection that humans play," she said. "They strive for a certain aesthetic, and everything looks so beautiful and people don't seem like they have any problems. Everyone's human. Everyone has problems. Everyone feels yucky on the inside sometimes. You deserve to feel just as beautiful on the days on the days you wear no makeup, and the days you don't shower, and the days you feel like you're depressed."
7. Ryan Reynolds — actual superhero — proved anxiety can affect anyone.
8. Demi Lovato continued being transparent about her journey with addiction, opening up to fans on Instagram after she overdosed in July.
9. Jessi J shared details of her fertility troubles on Instagram after revealing on stage during a concert that she's not able to have children.
10. Nick Jonas reflected on the Type 1 diabetes diagnosis he received 13 years ago
On the right is me now. Happy & healthy. Prioritizing my physical health, working out, eating healthy & keeping my blood sugar in check. I have full control of my day to day life with this disease & I’m so grateful to my family & loved ones who have helped every step of the way.
11. Lena Dunham revealed she is now sober after misusing the anti-anxiety meds she was prescribed after being diagnosed with PTSD.
12. Alyson Stoner opened up on Instagram about dealing with depression, anxiety, and an eating disorder — and the importance of trying to love herself at every phase.
13. Selma Blair revealed her multiple sclerosis diagnosis in an emotional Instagram post.
14. Claire Foy talked about how she's struggled with paralyzing anxiety since childhood.
15. Karamo Brown posted a video discussing his past suicide attempt on Instagram and also gave words of hope.
16. Marcia Cross revealed on Instagram that she had anal cancer, but reassured fans she's "all good now."
17. Carrie Underwood shared that she had three miscarriages in the past two years.
18. Nicole Kidman opened up about the miscarriages she had during her marriage to Tom Cruise.
19. Michelle Williams, who is very open about dealing with depression, shared that she sought help from a mental health facility.
20. FKA Twigs revealed on Instagram she had six fibroid tumors removed from her uterus this year.
21. Pete Davidson, who has borderline personality disorder, talked about his experiences with suicidal ideation.
22. Alyssa Milano talked about her generalized anxiety disorder, which she says was likely triggered by her postpartum depression.
23. Willow Smith talked about her history of self-harm as a preteen.
24. Halsey, who has endometriosis, talked about the devastating on-stage miscarriage she had in the middle of a concert.
25. Mariah Carey shared her experience with bipolar II disorder, which she was first diagnosed with in 2001.
26. Dwayne Johnson shed more light on his experience with depression, including witnessing his mother's suicide attempt when he was 15.
27. Letitia Wright talked about the stigma associated with mental health, especially in the black community, and how her faith helped her heal.
28. Wendy Williams shared on her talk show that she was recently diagnosed with diagnosed with Graves' disease.
A message from Wendy.
Sh said her thyroid had been "all cattywampus," and announced she would be taking a short leave of absence from her show in order to concentrate on her health.
29. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who opened up about her breast cancer diagnosis in September of last year, celebrated the latest step of her journey with a post-op photo.
Hoorah! Great doctors, great results, feeling happy and ready to rock after surgery. Hey cancer, “Fuck you!” Here’s my first post op photo.
30. Selena Gomez discussed how she thinks her depression and anxiety will be a lifelong battle.
31. Michael Phelps opened up about how he contemplated suicide at the height of his career.
32. Evanna Lynch talked about how the world of Harry Potter helped her through her eating disorder.
33. Michelle Obama talked about her past issues with infertility, including going through a miscarriage and in vitro fertilization (IVF) before conceiving her daughters.
34. Chrissy Teigen continued to speak openly about experiencing late-onset postpartum depression.
35. Tia Mowry wrote an op-ed about her experience with endometriosis — and how she wants more black women to speak out about it.
36. Jamie Lee Curtis opened up about hiding an opioid addiction for 10 years.
37. Sarah Hyland, who was born with kidney dysplasia, discussed her first and second kidney transplants, as well as having to go through months of dialysis.
What celebs did you appreciate opening up about their mental and physical health this year?
If you are thinking about suicide or just need to talk to someone, you can speak to someone by calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) and or by texting HOME to 741741, the Crisis Text Line. And here are suicide helplines outside the US.