We’ve all struggled with depression or anxiety in some form or another at some time in our lives, and celebrities are no exception.
From actors to Olympians to reality TV stars and models, these Australian celebrities have talked openly about their mental health issues and encouraged ordinary Australians open up as well.
Ian Thorpe
Ian Thorpe is one of Australia’s most famous Olympians, having won five gold medals in the 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens Games, but outside of the pool, he was battling a serious mental health issue.
After retiring in 2006 at the age of 24, the 38-year-old admitted to drinking too much alcohol and having suicidal thoughts.
In a blog article for Huffington Post Australia in 2016, he stated, “I am someone who has suffered from mental health difficulties since I was a youngster.”
“Many people on the outside wouldn’t understand my suffering or be able to connect to the sometimes-daily battle I was going through.
“Part of the illusion of melancholy and mental illness is that what appears on the surface is a far cry from the anguish that lurks underneath.”
Despite his sadness, the sports great stated that he chose not to let it define him.
“Although it took me a long time to arrive at this moment and realisation in my life, I tell you it was well worth the wait,” he added.
“I recognize the wonder of the universe, and I greet each day with a zeal I haven’t felt in what feels like an eternity.”
Osher Gunsberg
Osher has openly discussed his mental health issues in a variety of venues, including authoring blogs and often appearing on podcasts.
In 2014, while residing in California, he had a psychotic episode after stopping taking his depression and anxiety medication, which finally pushed him to resume his medicine and seek treatment for his multiple ailments.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder has also been identified in the Bachelor host.
During an appearance on ABC’s You Can’t Ask That, he stated, “I would have a need to very viscerally fantasize about the end of the world, climate change calamities that had been prophesied.”
“Every three to five seconds, I turned on the air conditioner, which meant climate change would kill the globe.” “After a few hours of that, you’re like, ‘This can’t stop, and I can’t stop it,’” he told the audience.
Following his participation on the show, Osher turned to Instagram to discuss the condition in further detail.
“Thanks to some excellent medicines and some even better physicians who helped me through exposure treatment, I’m a lot better today – but it’s something that my brain just does,” he wrote to followers.
Sam Frost
Sam Frost first appeared on our screens in 2014 on The Bachelor, and after going on The Bachelorette and finally joining the cast of Home and Away as Jasmine Delaney, she solidified her spot in the Australian TV landscape. Her spectacular climb to TV stardom, however, has been fraught with worry.
“It’s constantly up and down [mental mindset],” she told TV Week in 2021. “I believe a lot of people who suffer with mental health, depression, or anxiety would understand you have your good days and terrible days.”
Sam’s difficulties inspired her to become a vocal champion for mental health, even creating Believe by Sam Frost, a mental health resource that offers true assistance to young females.
In terms of dealing with her mental health, the actor has developed coping mechanisms.
“I’m going to make an appointment with my psychologist first.” “I believe it’s really essential to try to get out of the home and either go for a walk, turn off your phone, make a cup of tea, or do the things that you enjoy and are good for your soul,” she told TV Week.
“It’s walking my dog for me, and I enjoy reading books, so I’ll read,” she explained.
Abbie Chatfield
Runner-up on season seven of The Bachelor Abbie Chatfield has been open about how trolling has affected her mental health.
People who were offended by her portrayal on the show sent her death threats, made remarks about her physique, and questioned her decision to join the show.
On Celebrity Kind, she stated, “It’s extremely hard when it seeps into your brain and you genuinely believe that after a time.”
“Honestly, it came to the point the weekend before the finale aired when I didn’t leave the bed,” Abbie told Mamamia. That was the point at which I started experiencing suicidal thoughts.
On Instagram, the now-influencer opens out about her time with a psychologist and how it has benefited her since the program finished. On her podcast, It’s A Lot, she frequently addresses her anxiousness.
Jessica Marais
The star of Packed to the Rafters has been candid about being diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
Jessica, on the other hand, stated her mental health issues do not define her, and she urged those who are facing inner demons not to give up.
“Your challenges make you stronger, but they shouldn’t define you,” Jessica said on the Nova radio show Confidential.
“I have a personal method of dealing with difficulties, just like everyone else, and I don’t believe that someone should be defined by it.”
“There are also times in your life when you may go through something and then move on.”
To take care of her mental health, the 36-year-old Love Child actress skipped the 2018 TV WEEK Logie Awards.
Her management then announced that she bravely decided to “take aside from acting for the remainder of 2018 to focus on her health and spend time with her family,” according to her management.
Jessica claims that confiding in her loved ones has aided her in getting through difficult times.
“As a public person, I never believe I can advise others on how to cope with such problems. But I will say that when I’ve experienced personal difficulties, I’ve learned to be more honest with those close to me “she stated
Jesinta Franklin
Model and mother of two Jesinta Franklin has been candid about her anxiety difficulties, even offering support to her AFL star husband, Buddy Franklin, who was dealing with the same issues.
Despite the fact that she is now mainly known as an influencer, Jesinta’s problems began shortly after she was named Miss Universe Australia.
She told Marie Claire, “I first encountered anxiety when I won Miss Universe Australia [in 2010], and it was just so overwhelming.”
“There were days when I couldn’t stand going outdoors because I felt like everyone was staring at me.”
“I was laying in bed a few years back and felt like I couldn’t breathe and my chest was crushing in. I went to the doctor thinking I had a heart condition but it turned out to be anxiousness. My anxiousness manifests itself physically: my heart rate soars and my hands get clammy.”
Jesinta has stated publicly that she sees a psychotherapist on a regular basis and employs various coping mechanisms such as taking a bath, listening to soothing music, lighting candles, and setting aside time for herself.
Jake Edwards
Jake Edwards, who has a great AFL career behind him, has been a strong champion for mental health, particularly since his appearance on Married at First Sight.
Early in his sports career, he began to have mental health difficulties, and he shut himself off and spent time sobbing in solitude from those he loved. He also stated that he had suicidal thoughts.
He developed Outside the Locker Room, a program that helps athletic teams recognize and care for the mental health of its staff and athletes, as a result of his education in mental health.
Jake is still dealing with mental health difficulties, despite his incredible work in this sector. He just took a break from social media to concentrate on his anxiety issues at a retreat. Being in nature, he said, was a huge part of his recovery process.
Tracey Jewel
The fifth season star of Married, At First Sight, has never been shy about discussing how her stint on the controversial dating program harmed her mental health.
“I was spinning in my brain. She earlier told New Idea, “I just didn’t see a way out of the current predicament.”
“I don’t have a history of depression, but I began seeking therapy in April when a psychologist said I could be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of all I’d gone through.”
After participating in the show, the mother-of-two said she became “quite emotionally distant” owing to stress from internet bullies.
After being abandoned during a vacation in Europe with then-boyfriend Patrick Kedemos in 2018, Tracey boldly stated she “fell into a head spin and overdosed.”
Tracey then left her wellness studio 360 Hit just a few days after it opened in 2019 owing to suicide concerns.
“Because of all the negative exposure [from MAFS], no one will hire me. My identity and reputation have been tarnished “At the time, she told the Daily Mail Australia.
“These individuals have completely destroyed my life. Most days, I’m suicidal.”
Tayla Damir
The season one winner of Love Island Australia has long been open about her anxiety issues, and she even started her own business selling affirmation cards to aid those who are struggling psychologically.
During her high school years, the 24-year-old realized she was feeling extremely nervous.
“‘What’s wrong with me?’ I remember thinking at the time. ‘What makes me so worried all of the time?’ “In 2019, she told Nine Honey about it.
“I’ve certainly come to terms with different things that help and I can recognize different things that trigger it since my diagnosis,” she explained.
“So exercising and spending time with people that care about me, such as family and friends, are really beneficial to me. Making time for myself and doing the things I enjoy — which might be as simple as going to the beach or taking a stroll in the fresh air — is also beneficial.”
Tayla, who is engaged to AFL player Nathan Broad, recently told her 530,000 Instagram followers that wedding preparations is making her anxious.
“I was in a pretty bad place last week at this time. I have severe anxiety, so the notion of planning a wedding, letting people down with their wishes and expectations, choosing a location, satisfying everyone, pleasing myself while not knowing what I want, and attempting to budget became too much for me “She wrote a month ago.
“My anxiousness made me feel so weak at the moment… This article will discuss the evil side of worry and how it may gradually fill a person’s head with poisonous notions.”
