In the past one would never have asked the question, what do Los Angeles Laker superstar forward Ron Artest and actress Catherine Zeta Jones have in common? On the surface they appear not to have much, if anything in common. However, these two are now inextricably linked. They each, under very different circumstances announced their struggle with mental illness.
While celebrities impacted by mental illness is not new, the way Zeta-Jones and Artest chose to announce their struggle is. A few weeks ago Catherine Zeta-Jones announced to the world via social media her struggles with Bi-Polar II Disorder and her plan to seek treatment. This was a major announcement and those of us in the field were pleased that she embraced this challenge with grace and humility. It is our hope that her strength will encourage others who struggle with mental illness to also seek treatment.
In 2010, the L.A. Lakers won the NBA championship and while still on the floor celebrating the win a sports reporter interviewed Ron Artest. Artest, shocked the sports world when he publicly thanked his psychiatrist during the impromptu interview. In the year since his public announcement, Artest has proven to be a staunch supporter of mental health services. He auctioned his championship ring and helped raise over $500,000 for his charity which focuses on high risk youth and mental health.
Zeta-Jones and Artest are very, very different individuals, but they do have a lot in common. Today, they are each seen as courageous role models who were willing to take control of their lives as best they could by announcing their personal challenges with mental illness. They also share the ability to positively impact others on a broad scale, especially those who in the past may have never sought mental health treatment due to stigma.
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