9 celebrities who have opened up about their struggle with mental illness

Before becoming the megastar he is today, Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson revealed, he went through some seriously dark days. The movie star shared with fans in April that his battle with depression caused him to hit an all-time low: “I was crying constantly.” Janet Jackson, usually very private about her personal life, also opened up about her longtime battle with depression. In a recent interview with Essence magazine, the 52-year-old mother of one said, “I’ve known great happiness and great sadness.” She’s experienced those highs and lows throughout several decades in her life, starting with her childhood. Much of Jackson’s sadness, she said, came in her 30s: “These were difficult years, when I struggled with depression. The struggle was intense. Low self-esteem might be rooted in childhood feelings of inferiority.” Jackson’s journey to finding joy came when she welcomed her son, Eissa Al Mana, last year. “The height of happiness is holding my baby son in my arms and hearing him coo, or when I look into his smiling eyes and watch him respond to my tenderness,” she said. Demi Lovato and Mariah Carey have been vocal about living with bipolar disorder. Lovato is a mental health advocate who is adamant about fighting the stigma. In a 2015 People magazine interview, she said, “I just think mental illness is something people need to learn more about.” Lovato is now co-owner of the Comprehensive Assistance Support Treatment (CAST) centers, whose wellness and recovery program helped her during her battle with substance abuse. In April, Carey revealed for the first time that she had been living with bipolar disorder. She was first diagnosed in 2001 (when she was hospitalized for a physical and mental breakdown); “I didn’t want to believe it,” the superstar told People magazine. After seeking treatment, surrounding herself with positive people, and finding a “proper balance,” she said, “I got back to doing what I love — writing songs and making music.” Watch the video above for more celebs who have shared their inspirational stories.