Those Battling Mental Health Disorders Are In Good Company!

Here’s a list of twelve famous people who had or have serious mental illnesses:

Abraham Lincoln: Lincoln fought depression (known as “melancholy” in his day). His struggle with it is  featured in Carl Sandburg’s exhaustive, 800-page biography of the great president.

Of course, Lincoln’s depression begs the question, “how would the United States appear today if Lincoln’s disorder defeated his political career?” Would the South have emerged victorious in the Civil War? Would slavery still exist as an institution in an independent South?

Perhaps most importantly, would one of the greatest statesmen in the history of the world have seen his incredible talents and love for humanity thrown on the waste heap by the sword of prejudice simply because there were times in his life when he battled one of the world’s most common diseases?

Winston Churchill: one of Great Britain’s most famous and accomplished Prime Ministers, a man who rallied his country against the evils of Adolph Hitler when it stood alone, was prone to bouts of debilitating depression and was most likely bipolar (manic depressive).

An accomplished watercolor painter, Churchill often turned to his favorite pastime to occupy his time and pull him out of the depressive side of his disorder. In addition, David Lloyd George, who

was Prime Minister previous to Churchill said “he had a very excitable brain and often went off

on tangents,” traits associated with mania (the polar opposite of depression).

Patty Duke: the award-winning actress had the guts to speak openly about her bipolar disorder in the bestselling books “Call Me Anna” and “A Brilliant Madness.”

Michelangelo: Perhaps the most talented sculpture in world history, Michelangelo exhibited many of the symptoms of bipolar disorder.

Billy Joel: in a book by Hank Bordowitz entitled "Billy Joel: The Life and Times of an Angry Young Man" it was revealed that Joel has battled depression for years. The “Piano Man” once had depression so severe that he attempted suicide by drinking furniture polish, stating “it looked tastier than bleach.” Joel wrote a suicide note, which became the basis for the song "Tomorrow Is Today."

Dick Cavett: the famous American talk show host once failed to show up for a radio program. Rumored  to have a brain disorder for years, his lawyer admitted Cavett was suffering from bipolar disorder at the time. Since that incident in 1997, Cavett has spoken publicly about his prolonged periods of depression, which began when he was in college.

Ludwig Von Beethoven: the great composer most likely suffered from bipolar disorder. Recent tests of Beethoven’s hair showed a dangerously high lead content, which is known to trigger mental illness. Despite his tendencies toward episodes of depression, Beethoven had periods of intensity and great energy, consistent with bipolar disorder.

Vincent Van Gogh: who doesn’t know that the great painter cut off part of his own ear? Van Gogh’s legendary mental health disorder (or disorders) has been analyzed by hundreds of historians and psychologists. His behavior is consistent with a number of brain diseases including bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Sadly, Van Gogh, one of history’s greatest artists, took his own life in 1890.

Mel Gibson: In a 2002 documentary film on an acting class, Gibson stated, "'I had really good highs but some very low lows, I found out recently I'm manic depressive.' The world famous actor and director of such films as “Braveheart” and “The Passion Of The Christ," most likely hoped the documentary wouldn’t see the light of day and might have had a hand in suppressing it, but it became public in 2008.

Jim Carrey: about the last people on earth you would think could be depressed are the people who make us laugh. Carrey has been extremely frank about his depressive disorder in multiple news reports and has also been an outspoken critic of the pharmaceutical industry and its promotion of anti-depressants.

Other funnymen known to have brain disorders include Rodney Dangerfield, who revealed his fight against clinical depression in his best-selling autobiography "It's Not Easy Bein' Me" and Ben Stiller, who, in a 2001 interview with Hollywood.com stated: "I have not been an easygoing guy. I think it's called bipolar manic depression. I've got a rich history of that in my family.”