Behind the Fame: The Untold Story of Mental Health in the Spotlight

BY: Neighbors’ Consejo|

In recent years, there has been increased focus on the impact of fame on mental health. While being famous may seem like a dream come true to many, the reality is that fame often comes with a heavy price tag. Celebrities are under constant scrutiny and pressure to maintain a certain image, which can take a toll on their mental health.

For example, TMZ [1]  posted recently: “Amanda Bynes placed on psychiatric hold after roaming streets naked”. Amanda Laura Bynes is an American actress, she is known for her work in television and film throughout the 1990s and 2000s. Sadly, “Bynes was seen walking near downtown Los Angeles early Sunday morning without any clothes. She waved a car down, telling the driver she was coming down from a psychotic episode. Amanda herself called 911. Bynes was taken to a nearby police station, where a mental health team determined she needed to be placed on a 5150 psych hold.”

Other example is news about Demetria Devonne Lovato better known as a “Demi Lovato”, this American singer, songwriter and actress admitted in her documental “Simply Complicated” that she is in recovery from depression, bipolar disorder, eating disorder and drug addiction [2] . Another famous singer who disclosed she has mental health issues is Lady Gaga, who in a 2020 interview with Oprah Winfrey said that she “developed PTSD after she was repeatedly raped at 19 [3] ”.

Why does fame affect mental health? According to Unbound, [4]  “fame changes a person’s life forever, and it is felt more as an impact or “overnight” experience rather than a gradual transition.”

“Developmentally, the celebrity often goes through a process of first loving, then hating fame; addiction; acceptance; and then adaptation (both positive and negative) to the fame experience. Becoming a celebrity alters the person’s being-in-the-world. Once fame hits, with its growing sense of isolation, mistrust, and lack of personal privacy, the person develops a kind of character-splitting between the “celebrity self” and the “authentic self”, as a survival technique in the hyperkinetic and heady atmosphere associated with celebrity life.”

“I hate being Bi-Polar it is awesome”, these are the words spoken by rapper Kanye West in his song “Yikes”, he consider that bipolar disorder is his superpower [5] . On the other hand, we have to mention the sad case of actor Robin Williams, that according to his publicist, “Williams had mental illness problems including battling extreme depression up until his death. He leaves behind a wife, three children, legions of fans and a legendary career [6] .”

According to Eleni Cheng, “fame by definition is a “state of being known or talked about by many people, especially on account of notable achievements.” Like many celebrities, fame comes with gaining followers, fans, and money. It is a perfect life. At least, that is what it looks like to us from the outside. Fame comes with many struggles. This includes the lack of privacy, paparazzi, rumors, stalkers, and the constant pressure of being in the public eye. Despite our perceptions of fame, the reality is far from what it truly is [7] .”

In conclusion, we invite you to read the document “The Psychological Consequences of Fame: Three Test of the Self-Consciousness Hypothesis [8] ”, and remember that the pursuit of fame and fortune is something that many people dream of, but the reality is that it come at a cost. Celebrities are human beings with their own struggles and vulnerabilities. The pedestal on which we place them can be damaging to not only their own mental health, but also to our own perceptions of reality.

References

 [1]https://www.tmz.com/2023/03/20/amanda-bynes-psychiatric-hold-5150-mental-health-found-naked-roaming-streets/

 [2]https://www.turnbridge.com/news-events/latest-articles/demi-lovato-addiction-and-mental-health-simply-complicated/#

 [3]https://www.health.com/condition/ptsd/lady-gaga-rape-ptsd

 [4]https://www.saybrook.edu/unbound/fame-is-a-dangerous-drug/

 [5]https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2022/10/11/bipolar-disorder-symptoms-treatment/

 [6]https://www.bhpalmbeach.com/addiction-blog/robin-williams-drug-abuse-and-mental-illness-know-no-bounds/

 [7]https://www.kaleookalani.org/4829/editorials/the-dark-side-of-fame/

 [8]chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www2.psych.ubc.ca/~schaller/Schaller1997Fame.pdf