1.2 Famous People with Mental Illness
When we think about mental illness, we tend to make assumptions, we might think that a person is just weak, or lazy or need to just grow up. Are you aware of the famous people from our past that made a significant contribution to our society, our lives and to the world? Have you heard of: Leonardo da Vinci? Michelangelo? Isaac Newton? Beethoven? Edgar Allan Poe or Abraham Lincoln? All these individuals had a significant mental health diagnoses, despite their illness each one and so many more where famous historical people were successful while making significant contributions in their lives. Please understand, a mental illness NEVER defines a person, the illness defines the symptom’s one is experiencing that is associated with a diagnosis.
Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) Was diagnosed with dyslexia and depression
Michelangelo (1475-1564) Famous Artist diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Isaac Newton (1643-1727) Scientist who explained gravity and had the Laws of Motion named after himself, was known to have suffered from bipolar disorder
Beethoven (1770-1827) Beethoven, well-known for being a deaf composer, suffered from bipolar disorder and depression.
Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) The father of the American short story suffered from depression and alcoholism.
Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) The 16th president of the United States suffered from depression and anxiety attacks
Charles Darwin (1809-1882) The creator of the Theory of Evolution suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931) The inventor of the light bulb suffered from dyslexia
Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) The creator of “Starry Night” suffered from bipolar disorder
Winston Churchill (1874-1965) Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom suffered from bipolar disorder and dyslexia
Albert Einstein (1879-1955) Creator of the theory of relativity suffered from dyslexia.
Picasso (1881-1973) Famous artist suffered from depression.
Walt Disney (1901-1966) The man who created Mickey Mouse suffered from dyslexia.
Buzz Aldrin (1930- ) The second person to walk on the moon, suffers from depression.
What famous person do you know that has come out and shared their story? Let me share some names you may be familiar with:
Angelina Jolie – Depression, self-mutilation, and suicidal thoughts.
Michael Phelps – ADHD.
Kurt Cobain (1967-1994) – Suffered from drug abuse and depression. Diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder or ADD, and Bipolar Disorder at a young age. He made several attempts to commit suicide, and overdosed on drugs and alcohol.
Ashley Judd – History of child abuse and depression.
Activity
Who is committed to “breaking the stigma”?