Michelle Williams Battles Depression And We Support Her
By Johana LJuly 19 2018, Published 10:05 p.m. ET
According to TMZ, Michelle Williams checked herself into a mental health facility just outside of Los Angeles and has been seeking treatment for depression there for several days.
She has opened up about her struggle with depression in the past. In an interview with Rolling Out in 2013 she expressed how glad she was to have helped others speak about their own struggles with depression in a climate where mental health issues are relatively taboo in the African American community. She explained:
-“Me talking about it was purely [accidental]. It wasn’t anything I planned, but now that it’s out so many people are reaching out to me and saying ‘Thank you.’ They’ve been going through the same thing and didn’t know what to do.
I just got a text from someone saying that they’re glad I spoke about it. He didn’t even know what it was and he was diagnosed and was embarrassed about it. He was so happy that I told people that there’s nothing wrong with getting help. For years growing up, I thought someone getting treatment and counseling was really crazy or had personality disorders, but it’s really for normal people that have some issues that they need answers to.”
“Me talking about it was purely [accidental]. It wasn’t anything I planned, but now that it’s out so many people are reaching out to me and saying ‘Thank you.’ They’ve been going through the same thing and didn’t know what to do.
I just got a text from someone saying that they’re glad I spoke about it. He didn’t even know what it was and he was diagnosed and was embarrassed about it. He was so happy that I told people that there’s nothing wrong with getting help. For years growing up, I thought someone getting treatment and counseling was really crazy or had personality disorders, but it’s really for normal people that have some issues that they need answers to.”
The influencers that have chosen to candidly speak about their mental health are making important strides for generations to come. Other celebrities to disclose their struggles with mental health include Mariah Carey, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Chrissy Teigen, and Kanye West.
Vice President of Policy and Programs at Mental Health America, Theresa Nguyen, explained that “Media coverage plays its own role in reducing fear and shame around mental illness. While such celebrity revelations inspire positive reactions now, they could [have been] seen as a career liability 20 years ago.” Which is a sad revelation when you think about how not very long ago that actually was.
Just last year in October during an interview with The Talk, Michelle Williams again opened up about her depression saying:
-“I think at the age of 25, had I had a name to what I was feeling at the time, I would have disclosed that I’ve been suffering from depression. You know, I didn’t know until I was in my 30’s what was going on. I just thought it was growing pains. I just thought ‘I’m turning into a woman.’ So I’ve been suffering since the age of, between 13 and 15. Like I said, at that age, I didn’t know what to call it.
So many people are walking around acting like they’ve got it all together, you know, and they’re suffering. So for years, I’m in one of the top-selling female groups of all time [Destiny’s Child], suffering with depression. When I disclosed it to our manager [Matthew Knowles] at the time, bless his heart, he was like ‘y’all just signed a multi-million dollar deal, you’re about to go on tour, what do you have to be depressed about.’ So I was like, “oh! maybe I’m just tired!’
I think he wanted me to be grateful, which I was, but I was still sad, and so, I just, I wanna normalize this mental health discussion.”
“I think at the age of 25, had I had a name to what I was feeling at the time, I would have disclosed that I’ve been suffering from depression. You know, I didn’t know until I was in my 30’s what was going on. I just thought it was growing pains. I just thought ‘I’m turning into a woman.’ So I’ve been suffering since the age of, between 13 and 15. Like I said, at that age, I didn’t know what to call it.
So many people are walking around acting like they’ve got it all together, you know, and they’re suffering. So for years, I’m in one of the top-selling female groups of all time [Destiny’s Child], suffering with depression. When I disclosed it to our manager [Matthew Knowles] at the time, bless his heart, he was like ‘y’all just signed a multi-million dollar deal, you’re about to go on tour, what do you have to be depressed about.’ So I was like, “oh! maybe I’m just tired!’
I think he wanted me to be grateful, which I was, but I was still sad, and so, I just, I wanna normalize this mental health discussion.”
Believing that someone’s sadness is related to their gratefulness is a common misconception. A lot of the time that sadness comes from feelings of inadequacy or like your accolades aren’t deserved.
Now coming into 2018 and her stay at a mental health facility she posted this heartfelt note to her Instagram:
Since then she has received massive support from people all around:
Missy Elliot
LaTavia Roberson
According to pagesix, Tina Knowles Lawson commented, “My Belle, I’m soo proud of you! You have given unselfishly of your time and support to so many and I know that you will be the best example of self care which we all need. Keep being a warrior and an advocate for you. I love and support you with all my being.”
Solange commented,“Love u so Michelle! Really proud of you. Sending u all the love in the world.”
Jussie Smollet of “Empire” commented,“honesty saves lives. Believe in that. Keep soaring queen.”
Her fiance Chad Johnson added,“I’m so proud of your courage and commitment to this!! We are in it together and on an AMAZING journey of watching THE master artist paint a priceless work for art!”
From the outside looking in, it may seem as though her recovery won’t be rocky but every case is different. Her courage to speak out about it was the first step, and receiving treatment, the 2nd. As she updates her fans on her condition, we wish her the best and hope that she and everyone else battling depression or any other mental health condition doesn’t feel crazy about it. It’s completely okay to seek help. No one does anything alone. No matter how much they want to make the world see it that way, everyone struggles with something and we are social beings for a reason.
