Celebrity or showbiz life is not easy. Being popular comes with a price. While struggling to succeed, some struggle to maintain their star status. During this process, they might suffer from mental health issues and make poor choices.
Also, there are several famous celebrities who have faced difficulties since childhood, with their symptoms becoming prominent during the latter part of life. Many stars have been open about their struggle with mental health and are still trying to overcome it. However, despite their efforts, a few famous personalities fail to overcome these challenges and often take extreme steps. Here are a few celebrities who struggled with mental health issues before dying.
1. Angus Cloud (1998-2023)
Angus Cloud, who became popular for his role in Euphoria, died due to drug overdose in California. The exact reason for his demise is not known, but it was said that the actor had been facing challenges since his father Conor Hickey’s demise (which took place a week before his death). His family had mentioned that he was struggling with mental health issues, and he was open about it. Apparently, the Euphoria actor struggled with addition and was in rehab for two years. Despite efforts, the 25-year-old actor couldn’t control his addiction and continued to use narcotics.
2. Robin Williams (1951-2014)
Robin Williams committed suicide in August 2014. Although the 63-year-old actor was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, autopsy reports revealed that he had Lewy body disease. Before his death, it is said that his mental health worsened, and he became isolated and stopped medications. Apparently, he had a history of self-harm and had even acquired a firearm. After Robin’s demise, his son Zak revealed about his father’s mental health issues and said that his father was frustrated as he had focus issues. He added that there was anxiety and depression.
3. Michael Jackson (1958-2009)
In 2009, pop rockstar Michael Jackson was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Los Angeles. The 50-year-old singer, who died due to cute propofol intoxication, apparently suffered from several mental disorders, including anxiety and depression. Michael, apparently, struggled with a lot of challenges and experienced trauma during his childhood days.
4. Kurt Cobain (1967-1994)
Kurt Cobain was found dead in 1994. The 27-year-old actor had been struggling with addiction and depression for a long time, and these played a crucial role in taking this extreme step. Previously too, the singer had attempted suicide. Weeks before his demise, it is said that his mental health got worsened, and he isolated himself and stopped taking medications.
5. Matthew Perry (1969-2023)
Matthew Perry’s death shocked the world. The Friends actor died due to accidental drowning and acute effects of ketamine. Apparently, ketamine is an anesthetic used as an alternative treatment for mental illnesses, including depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. According to a report, to treat depression, Matthew had been getting legal ketamine infusion from a clinic. The Friends actor had been open about his struggles with addiction and mental health.
6. Amy Winehouse (1983-2011)
Amy Winehouse passed away due to alcohol poisoning in 2011. The 27-year-old singer’s brother blamed Bulimia for the same.
In several interviews, she revealed that she suffered from manic depression. Since childhood, she struggled with Bulimia, alcoholism and drug abuse. She was also diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The singer had a history of self-harm. A few months before her death, her mental health deteriorated, she isolated herself and stopped taking medications.
7. Naomi Judd (1946-2022)
Naomi Judd died by suicide in April 2022. After a long battle with anxiety and depression, the country singer gave up on her life and shot herself. Her daughter Ashley Judd called an ambulance after she found her mother on her bed. Ashley had spoken about her mother’s heartbreaking final moments and revealed that she was suffering from mental illness.
Naomi was open about her struggle with mental illness and has mentioned her struggle with depression in her book River of Time: My Descent into Depression and How I Emerged with Hope.
8. Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)
Abraham Lincoln was shot at Ford’s Theatre while watching a play in 1865. Apparently, he suffered from clinical depression and had bouts of melancholy. He was known to cry in public and had suicidal thoughts. His friends were worried about his safety and would often check on him.
9. Carrie Fisher (1956-2016)
Carrie Fisher passed away due to sudden cardiac arrest in 2016. The 60-year-old actress often shared about her struggles with drug and alcohol addiction. She was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The actress had frequently addressed these issues in articles and her best-selling 2008 memoir Wishful Drinking.
10. Lionel Aldridge (1941-1998)
Lionel Aldridge, the star player for the Green Bay Packers, died due to heart failure in 1998. The 56-year-old football player was diagnosed with schizophrenia in his 30s. He was paranoid and had hallucinations. He was homeless for two and a half years. Lionel had given several inspirational talks on his battle against paranoid schizophrenia.
11. Eugene O’Neill (1888-1953)
Eugene O’Neill passed away due to pneumonia in 1953 in the US. During his lifetime, he suffered from severe depression. His personal and professional life was affected by his mental illness, which led him to periods of withdrawal and become inactive during depressive times.
12. Tennessee Williams (1911-1983)
Tennessee Williams, who was considered America’s greatest playwright, was found dead in his two-room suite at the Hotel Elysee at 60 East 54th Street. During his early adulthood, he suffered from several major depressive episodes. In his memoirs, he mentioned his struggle with clinical depression. His experience is also documented in several books related to him.
13. Ernest Hemingway (1899- 1961)
Ernest Hemingway died by shooting himself in 1961. It is said that neurological and mental health issues might have influenced him to take his own life. The journalist and the Nobel Prize-winning author died just six days after being discharged from Mayo Clinic, where he was treated for severe depression and psychosis.
14. Sylvia Plath (1932-1963)
After struggling with clinical depression for several years, Sylvia Plath ended her life. She had attempted suicide when she was 20 years old, which was when she was diagnosed with depression. She was one of the popular poets in the 20th century.
15. Patty Duke (1946-2016)
Patty Duke passed away in 2016 due to sepsis from a ruptured intestine. The 69-year-old actress, who won an Oscar for playing Helen Keller in The Miracle Worker in 1963, apparently struggled with an undiagnosed illness. She tried to commit suicide several times, and she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1982. She was one of the first celebrities who went on to support mental health causes openly.
16. Stephen “tWitch” (1982-2022)
Stephen “tWitch” Boss shocked his fans, family and friends by committing suicide in 2022. The DJ and executive producer on the Ellen DeGeneres Show by shooting himself. His death sparked discussion on mental health and suicide awareness in youth.
Although high-functioning depression is not an official medical term, it describes people who have depression, but manage to perform daily tasks well enough that others might not notice. And these people seem like “life of the party.” Boss’ situation highlighted this condition.
17. Cheslie Kryst (1991-2022)
Cheslie Kryst passed away three months before her 31st birthday. On January 30, 2022, she committed suicide by jumping from a 60-story high-rise apartment building in Manhattan. Her mother had revealed that Cheslie had high-functioning depression and noticed changes, but Cheslie dismissed it. Later, when she underwent psychological treatment, she was diagnosed with persistent depressive disorder, which is a chronic condition causing low-level depression.
Cheslie was a model, who won Miss USA in May 2019 and a correspondent for the television show Extra.
18. Kailia Posey (2006-2022)
Kailia Posey committed suicide in 2022. She was just 16 years old. She was a beauty pageant contestant and was best known for her appearance in the TLC show Toddlers and Tiaras. Her friend had revealed that they knew she was struggling with a few things, and they did everything to help her. Her mother also revealed that her daughter was seeing a therapist after the 2012 episode of the TLC series.
19. Aaron Carter (1987-2022)
Rapper Aaron Carter died due to accidental drowning in 2022. The singer revealed in an interview that he dealt with a lot of trauma, loss, and loneliness, and in 2019, he was diagnosed with manic depression, multiple personality disorder, schizophrenia, and acute anxiety. During his appearance on The Doctors, he opened up about his mental health struggle and revealed that he is on various medications.
20. Chuck Criss (1985-2022)
Musician Darren Criss’ brother, Charles Criss, who is known as “Chuck” and sometime bandmate Charles Criss, committed suicide at the age of 36. His brother had revealed that Chuck was suffering from severe depression.
21. Heather Armstrong (1975-2023)
Heather Armstrong committed suicide in 2023. The 47-year-old internet personality, who is known as “queen of mommy bloggers,” was suffering from the deepest depression and was open about her struggles with mental illness and alcohol addiction. She often wrote about the same on her website named Dooce. Her husband also talked about Heather’s struggle after her demise and said that she had attempted suicide in late 2021.
22. Phillip Adams (1988-2021)
Phillip Adams killed six people and then killed himself in 2021. The former NFL player’s sister said that his mental health had gotten worse quickly over the past couple of years. She added that she noticed unusual behavior and signs of mental illness, which was extremely concerning. She also revealed that although he didn’t show any sign of violent behavior, he was more aggressive. Post death, he was diagnosed with the brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
23. Chester Bennington (1976-2017)
Chester Bennington committed suicide in 2017. Apparently, the lead singer of the rock band Linkin Park, since the age of 11, used alcohol, cocaine and other drugs to cope with the trauma he experienced as a child. He struggled with mental health disorders and had been open about the same. While talking about his struggle in an interview, he had said that during those periods, he would become a person that was not him. Although he was successful in recovering from addiction, his struggle with severe depression continued.
24. Chris Huvane (1974-2022)
Top talent manager Chris Huvane committed suicide in 2022. The 47-year-old former magazine editor and PR executive suffered from depression for nine long years. Chris was open and honest about his struggles with depression. Post his death, as a tribute to him, his family launched an online fundraiser to benefit the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
25. Jason David Frank (1973-2022)
Jason David Frank, best known for his TV series Power Rangers, died by suicide. The 49-year-old actor reportedly suffered from depression. His wife Tammie Frank, who said that although she knew that he struggled with mental health issues, she had no idea that he would take an extreme step.
26. Anthony Bourdain (1956-2018)
Anthony Bourdain died by suicide by hanging himself. Although the celebrity chef was funny, fearless, brilliant and a perfectionist, at different times, he suffered from anxiety, manic outbursts, depression, dark mood swings and more. Although it is unclear if he took medications for his mental health issues, it is said that he did take professional counseling at least once.
27. Kate Spade (1962-2018)
Fashion designer Kate Spade committed suicide by hanging herself in her apartment in Manhattan in 2018. The 55-year-old entrepreneur’s sister revealed in an interview that she suffered debilitating mental illness since three-four years and was self-medicating with alcohol. She mentioned that Kate thought that hospitalization might harm her image. She had also added that Kate was seemed fixated on Robin Williams on the day he took his life in 2014.
28. Margot Kidder (1948-2018)
Margot Kidder, who is best known for her role of Lois Lane in the original Superman films, died due to a self-inflicted alcohol and drug overdose in Montana in 2018. The 69-year-old actress committed suicide. For most of her life, the actress dealt with mental illness and substance abuse issues. In 1988, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
29. Verne Troyer (1969- 2018)
Verne Troyer, who became popular with his role Mini-Me in the Austin Powers film series, died at the age of 49 due to sequelae of alcohol intoxication. The actor openly battled alcoholism and suffered from depression. Verne had cartilage-hair hypoplasia, a rare genetic disorder that affects bones and cartilage. He spent his last three weeks at the hospital where he was in a coma caused by alcohol.
30. Lil Peep (1996-2017)
Gustav Elijah Åhr, who goes by the stage name Lil Peep, died due to an accidental overdose of fentanyl and Xanax in 2017. The rapper openly spoke about his struggle with depression, anxiety and substance abuse. The 21-year-old singer had mentioned drug use, loneliness and depression in his songs. He had also revealed that he had bipolar disorder. He also struggled with suicidal thoughts that he had since his adolescent years.
31. Judy Garland (1922- 1969)
Judy Garland suffered from mental health issues for years. He was discovered dead in her London home in 1969. The 47-year-old actress-singer died due to a self-administered accidental overdose of barbiturates.
When she was 18, the pressure of adolescent stardom sent her to a psychiatrist. She was married five times and was frequently ill. The 47-year-old singer was battling substance abuse- drugs and alcohol, throughout her adulthood.
32. Janis Joplin (1943-1970)
Janis Joplin passed away in 1970 due to a heroin overdose. The 27-year-old singer suffered from several conditions. She had manic depression, body dysmorphia and attention deficit disorder. She was a heavy drinker since high school.
33. Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970)
Jimi Hendrix passed away from an overdose of sleeping pills and alcohol in 1970. While some say it was suicide, a few of them suspect murder. Apparently, the 27-year-old musician suffered from bipolar disorder. He experienced self-doubt and a fear of inadequacy and had sleep disturbances due to anxiety.
34. Muhammad Ali (1942-2016)
Muhammad Ali, who is nicknamed “The Greatest,” fought Parkinson’s disease for 32 years. The boxing legend died due to septic shock in 2016. He was 74. He experienced mental health issues due to this disease. Ali, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1984, had revealed that initially, he could push thoughts of the disease out of his mind, but he couldn’t ignore the physical symptoms, because of which he experienced frustration and depression.
35. Leelah Alcorn (1997-2014)
Leelah Alcorn, born Josh Alcorn, committed suicide by getting in front of a tractor-trailer in 2014. The 17-year-old transgender teen from Ohio, expressed on Tumblr that she was suffering from depression and cited loneliness. She killed herself as her parents refused to accept who she was. Her suicide attracted international attention.
36. Gia Allemand (1983-2013)
Gia Allemand committed suicide by hanging in her home after fighting with her NBA player boyfriend. She was 29 when she died. The reality TV show star struggled with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), which is characterised by extreme mood shifts.
37. Desmond Amofah (1990-2019)
Desmond Amofah, a popular American YouTuber, who is known as Etika, died by suicide. He was battling with mental illness for months and the last few months before his death, his online activity had become erratic and manic. He had shared about his mental illness and suicidal thoughts in his last YouTube video, which was 8-mintue long.
38. Jovan Belcher (1987-2012)
Jovan Belcher murdered his girlfriend and later killed himself in front in 2012. Apparently, the NFL linebacker was suffering from neurological and mental issues.
39. Simone Battle (1989-2014)
Simone Battle was found hanging in her Los Angeles home in 2014. She was 25. The X Factor 2011’s finalist’s family had said that she was suffering from depression and money problems. She was frustrated that her band was yet to achieve success in the US mainstream.
40. David Berman (1967-2019)
David Berman died by hanging himself in 2019 at the age of 53. He was best known for co-founding the indie rock band Silver Jews. The poet was open about his struggle with mental illness and addiction, and had revealed that he was suffering from treatment-resistant depression nearly all of his life. He had previously attempted suicide in 2003.
41. Isabella Blow (1958-2007)
Isabella Blow killed herself by taking a poison. The legendary fashion editor had attempted to take her life multiple times, and apparently, this was her third attempt.
Two tragedies in her childhood- death of her two-year-old brother and the separation of her parents when she was 14, might have affected her mental health badly. She was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder, for which she received electroshock therapy. She also battled ovarian cancer.
42. Jonathan Brandis (1976-2003)
Jonathan Brandis was found hanging in the hallway of his apartment at the age of 27. The actor was apparently depressed about his career, His father revealed that his son struggled with mental illness. He added that he was probably bipolar. He revealed that in his 20s, he showed signs of manic depression.
43. Molly Brodak (1980-2020)
Molly Brodak died by suicide in 2020. Since childhood, the writer and baker suffered from depression.
44. Iris Chang (1968-2004)
Iris Chang shot herself to death in 2004. At the end of her life, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She was going through manic periods, where she would take on a lot of work, followed by depressive periods. She also experienced paranoia.
45. Chris Cornell (1964-2017)
Chris Cornell committed suicide after his performance in Detroit, in 2017. The singer battled loneliness, fear, panic, dependence and addiction, throughout his life. He was self-medicating his depression with alcohol and drugs. He was also taking medication to manage anxiety and panic disorder.
