Celebrities with Mental Illness
And How They Dealt With It, By Austin Witucky
Delonte West, former Cleveland Cavaliers Guard
Delonte West had struggled with depression and various mood disorders, and he had used basketball to find his place in the world. He had always had mental issues, one year having to miss NBA training camp to get help with a mood disorder. He excelled at his role in the NBA with the Cavs, until his demons caught up with him an he was arrested for speeding in a motorcycle while carrying 3 loaded unregistered guns in a guitar case. This threw away much of what Delonte had in the NBA, but with the help of doctors, he played another stint in the NBA with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011. Delonte wasn't entirely open to the media about his troubles, but it still managed to get out to the public. His mentall illness was treated with extreme caution, and that is why he was able to overcome some of his challenges.
Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford, the action movie actor who played Indiana Jones and Han Solo, struggled with depression prior to his acting career. He was often picked on by his peers in grade and high school, and exhibited many signs of depression in college. He was eventually expelled for his poor attendance. Starting by taking drama class, he then pursued acting to overcome his fears. Ford is not entirely open to calling that period of his life a state of depression, rather he says he was just overwhelmingly shy. He never really pursued help from a doctor, which was probably a more dangerous path to follow than many others today. Ford is very private about his life outside of work, so not a lot of details are known about his condition.
Paula Deen
Paula Deen had struggled with extreme panic attacks and agoraphobia, the fear of of situations you know may lead to a panic attack. She experienced this illness after the death of her father, and these symptoms lasted nearly 20 years. She pursued help from doctors, and in case of hyperventilation she would carry around a brown paper bag to breathe through. She handled it on her own and with the help of doctors, and she ended up overcoming it. Though she still has trouble with the condition from time to time, she has learned how to cope with it and how to get help for it.
Howard Hughes
Howard Robard Hughes, Jr. was an American business tycoon, entrepreneur, investor, aviator, aerospace engineer, inventor, filmmaker and philanthropist. He was one of the most famous Americans in his time period, but in his later years, he became somewhat of a recluse. He never went out of his home, and was apparently suffering from worsening Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. As it worsened, he was admitted to a hospital. He neglected his personal hygiene and died with increasing pain. Many of the people close to him believed he denied his condition and handled it the wrong way.