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Mental health issues include clinical depression, anxiety disorder, Bipolar disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, amongst others. According to the World Health Organization’s 2019 report, 970 million of the world’s population were living with a mental disorder with, anxiety and depression as the most common conditions.
Music artists, among other celebrities, have contributed to increasing awareness and dismantling the stigma attached to mental health issues by telling their stories.
Some have partnered with mental health organizations and therapy services to provide mental health awareness. They have also shared how they got through their lowest moments to inspire others and restore hope for recovery.
From struggles with postpartum depression, to surviving clinical depression and battles with anxiety, this article explores their stories.
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Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are solely those of the author.
Billie Eilish, Adele, and other music artists who have spoken about their mental health struggles
1) Billie Eilish
The Birds of a Feather crooner recently spoke about her mental health. She revealed in an interview with Rolling Stone, published on April 24, 2024, that she had never been a happy person. According to Eilish, even though she had experienced joyous moments, she was still depressed. She added:
"I’ve suffered with a lot of depression my whole life. When things happen in my soul, or whatever, the thing I’ve always held on to is, ‘Well, it’ll pass. It’ll come in waves and it’ll get worse and it’ll get better.’
She further added that her parents, brother, Finneas O’Connell, and best friend, Zoe Donahoe, helped her get through difficult times.
Eilish had previously opened up about struggling with her meteoric rise to fame in an interview with Gayle King, published by Billboard on January 24, 2020. She recalled the sadness and isolation she felt and credited her mom for encouraging therapy and scaling back on touring.
2) Adele
The 36-year-old singer has been vocal about her mental health struggles. In a Vanity Fair cover story of October 31, 2016, Adele revealed that she battled with Postpartum depression after the birth of her son, Angelo, in 2012 and found comfort in confiding with other mothers with similar experiences.
In a report by Daily Mail on November 11, 2021, the Easy On Me hitmaker also revealed that she suffered depression in the wake of her divorce from Simon Konecki. She stated that she threw herself into work and started traveling to alleviate her anxiety.
During her Las Vegas residency in December 2022, it was reported by People Magazine on December 12, 2022, that she spoke with the crowd about prioritizing her mental health. She said that she had begun therapy again after forgoing it for a few years.
3) Big Sean
The Control hitmaker opened up to People Magazine in December 2020 about his mental health struggles. He explained how his mental state was:
"I go over scenarios and I go over two or three things at the same time, and that creates an overwhelming feeling and a lot of anxiety, which leads to depression, which leads to all these things,"
Big Sean also spoke about dealing with these issues by prioritizing himself:
"I'm putting myself as a priority and that really, really speaks volumes. When you do that, you start looking better, and you start feeling better and being better in everything you do. So, it's important,"
4) Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen spoke with Esquire magazine during the period of his one-man show, Springsteen, on Broadway in 2018. In an interview published on November 27, 2018, Springsteen opened up about his difficult childhood and how music filled the void he felt within himself:
"When I was a child, and into my teens, I felt like a very, very empty vessel. And it wasn’t until I began to fill it up with music that I began to feel my own personal power and my impact on my friends and the small world that I was in,"
The Dancing in the Dark hitmaker also recalled his first mental breakdown at age thirty-two and how he analyzed himself to overcome it. He credited his wife, Scialfa, and his three children, Evan, Sam, and Jessica, as his inspiration for wanting to be better and stronger.
5) Chappell Roan
Chappell Roan, 26, opened up about being diagnosed with severe depression in an interview with The Guardian published on September 21, 2024. The Hot to Go hitmaker revealed she struggled with her mental health during her Midwest Princess Tour and was later diagnosed by a psychiatrist:
“Went to a psychiatrist last week because I was like, I don’t know what’s going on. She diagnosed me with severe depression — which I didn’t think I had because I’m not actually sad. But I have every symptom of someone who’s severely depressed.”
The 26-year-old star, who was diagnosed with Bipolar 2 disorder at the age of 22, attributed her mental struggles to her newfound fame. Roan also stated that she had bonded with music peers, Sabrina Carpenter and Lorde, who could relate to how she was feeling.
6) Duff McKagan
The bassist for the acclaimed American rock band Guns N Roses, on May 10, 2023, released his This is the Song track to commemorate Mental Health Awareness Month.
On his website, Duff McKagan disclosed that he had dealt with a “certain variety of panic disorder” since the age of 16, and the Coronavirus pandemic exacerbated it. He further added that music and his acoustic guitar had helped him cope with the panic disorder. He said:
"Couldn’t breathe and couldn’t see straight, and lately, I have thankfully found my acoustic guitar as a refuge. If I just hold on to that guitar, play chords, and hum melodies, I can start to climb my way out of that hole."
Other music artists who have spoken about their mental health issues include Becky G, Ariana Grande, 6lack, and Brian Welch.
