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Mariah Carey's Battle With Bipolar Disorder & More Celebs With Mental Illness

Stories of triumph and tragedy.

This week Mariah Carey revealed to People for the first time ever her battle with bipolar disorder. She was initially diagnosed in 2001 and was even hospitalized for a breakdown. “I didn’t want to believe it,” the superstar told the mag.

Mariah is not the only star to wage a public battle with mental illness. From depression to bipolar disorder, stars run into issues just like the rest of us. Here, some other celebrities who have suffered from mental illnesses.

  1. Mariah Carey

    “Until recently I lived in denial and isolation and in constant fear someone would expose me,” she says. “It was too heavy a burden to carry and I simply couldn’t do that anymore. I sought and received treatment, I put positive people around me and I got back to doing what I love — writing songs and making music.”

  2. Jay Bowdy

    Up and coming actor Jay Bowdy tragically ended his own life on a Facebook Live video. His method of suicide is still unknown, but family and friends are alluding to signs of depression. He is survived by his wife and four children. Our prayers are with his family at this time. 

  3. Kid Cudi

    The Cleveland rapper sought help for suicidal ideation in October 2016.

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  5. Selena Gomez

     (Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

    Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

    (Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

    The pop singer dropped out of the spotlight earlier this year after treatment for her lupus led to anxiety, depression and panic attacks.

  6. Chris Brown

    (Photo: Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images)

    Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images

    (Photo: Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images)

    Royalty’s daddy was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder back in 2014.

  7. Jenifer Lewis

    The Black-ish matriarch’s bipolar disorder was triggered in 1990 following her father’s death. “It’s hard to accept that you have a problem,” she said in an interview. “You think everyone cries themselves to sleep. You should ask yourself why am I so depressed, why am I so angry with my children, angry with my partner… why am I depressed, or over the top?”

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  9. Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson

     (Photo: Victor Chavez/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures International)

    Victor Chavez/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures International

    (Photo: Victor Chavez/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures International)

    The Rock may be a tough guy, but he wasn’t afraid to open up to The Hollywood Reporter about his past bouts with depression

  10. Wayne Brady

    The super-talented comedian told Entertainment Tonight about hitting bottom with his depression on his 42nd birthday. “I was there by myself, in my bedroom and I had a complete breakdown.… Just go ahead and imagine for yourself a brother in his underwear, in his room, you got snot…and that birthday was the beginning of, ‘OK, I’ve got to make a change.’” He wrote the tweet below after Robin Williams committed suicide.

  11. Halle Berry

    (Photo: Angela Weiss/Getty Images for AOL)

    Angela Weiss/Getty Images for AOL

    (Photo: Angela Weiss/Getty Images for AOL)

    The actress attempted suicide after her marriage to David Justice fell apart. “I was sitting in my car, and I knew the gas was coming when I had an image of my mother finding me,” she told Parade magazine

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  13. Demi Lovato

     (Photo: David Becker/Getty Images)

    David Becker/Getty Images

    (Photo: David Becker/Getty Images)

    The singer’s Be Vocal campaign encourages people to take care of their mental health. Lovato has bipolar disorder.

  14. Brandon Marshall

     (Photo: Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)

    Photo: Alex Goodlett/Getty Images

    (Photo: Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)

    The Denver Broncos' linebacker created Project Borderline to help other people who suffer from borderline personality disorder.

  15. Metta World Peace

    (Photo: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

    Photo: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

    (Photo: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

    The former Laker star, once known as Ron Artest, has been very open about his need to see a psychologist to treat his depression.

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  17. Lisa Nicole Carson

    The actress — who will soon appear in BET’s New Edition biopic and has filmed an episode of Centric’s “Being” about her mental illness — dropped out of the spotlight for years while battling bipolar disorder

  18. DMX

    (Photo: Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)

    Mike Lawrie/Getty Images

    (Photo: Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)

    X has a history of bipolar disorder. In 2010, the rapper spent part of his incarceration at the Arizona State Prison Complex in the mental health unit

  19. T.I.

    (Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

    Jason Merritt/Getty Images

    (Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

    The Atlanta rapper told Larry King that paranoia and depression led to his 2007 arrest for attempting to illegally purchase firearms.

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  21. Nina Simone

     (Photo: Jack Robinson/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

    Jack Robinson/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

    (Photo: Jack Robinson/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

    After her death, it was revealed that the soul-shaking singer pushed back against severe depression and bipolar disorder.

  22. Janet Jackson

    (Photo: Christopher Polk/BET/Getty Images for BET)

    Christopher Polk/BET/Getty Images for BET

    (Photo: Christopher Polk/BET/Getty Images for BET)

    In 1998, the singer and actress told The Washington Post that she kept her depression to herself for years. “I remember, even after the ‘Rhythm Nation’ tour in 1990, when I was in my early twenties, I was really bummed out. Looking back on it now, it was depression. But it hits a lot of people — and a lot of artists — and I didn't know that. Nobody ever talked about that in my family — I still haven’t talked to anybody in my family about it.”

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