The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) strives for a society that is stigma free. The Merriam-Webster definition of stigma is “a set of negative and often unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something; a mark of shame of discredit.”
To hopefully help reduce some of the stigma that surrounds mental illness, I thought I would compile a list of well-known people over time who have suffered or are still suffering from a mental illness. It's an impressive list that puts anyone battling mental illness in good company.
1. Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)
Da Vinci was known to have kept complicated journals where he wrote upside-down and backwards. He also had dyslexia.
2. Michelangelo (1475-1564)
Known for his incredible art,
Michelangelo also suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
3. Sir Isaac Newton (1643-1727)
The scientist who explained gravity and had the Laws of Motion named after himself, Isaac Newton was known to have suffered from bipolar disorder and possible depression.
4. Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770-1827)
While Beethoven is well-known for being a deaf composer and coming up with masterpieces such as Fur Elise, he also suffered from bipolar disorder and depression.
5. Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849)
Though this is no surprise, the father of the American short-story suffered from depression and alcoholism.
6. Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)
The 16th president of the United States suffered from depression and anxiety attacks.
7. Charles Darwin (1809-1882)
The creator of the Theory of Evolution suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
8. Mary Todd Lincoln (1818-1882)
The wife of Abraham Lincoln suffered from schizophrenia.
9. Thomas Edison (1847-1931)
The inventor of the light bulb suffered from dyslexia.
10. Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890)
The creator of "Starry Night" suffered from bipolar disorder and depression.
11. Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
The former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom suffered from bipolar disorder and dyslexia.
12. Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
The creator of the theory of relativity suffered from dyslexia.
13. Pablo Picasso (1881-1973)
This famous artist suffered from depression.
14. Walt Disney (1901-1966)
The man behind Mickey Mouse suffered from dyslexia.
15. Buzz Aldrin (1930- )
This astronaut, the second person to walk on the moon, suffers from depression.
16. Elton John (1947- )
This musician who wrote the song "Can You Feel The Love Tonight," suffered from bulimia.
17. Ozzy Osbourne (1948- )
This musician, known as The Prince of Darkness, suffers from bipolar disorder.
20. Robin Williams (1951-2014)
Loved by many, this actor and comedian lost his battle to depression in 2014.
19. Stephen Fry (1957- )
This actor and comedian suffers from bipolar disorder.
20. Princess Diana of Wales (1961-1997)
The late princess suffered from bulimia and depression.
21. Jim Carrey (1962- )
This actor and comedian suffers from depression.
22. Ben Stiller (1965- )
This actor and comedian suffers from bipolar disorder.
23. Kurt Cobain (1967-1994)
Founder and lead singer of the grunge-rock band Nirvana, Cobain suffered from ADD and bipolar disorder.
24. Leonardo DiCaprio (1974- )
This actor suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
25. Heath Ledger (1979-2008)
This Australian-born actor known for his amazing performance as The Joker in "Batman: The Dark Knight," suffered from insomnia, anxiety, and depression.
Big picture: Every one in five people have a mental illness of some kind. These 25 people are only a tiny fraction of those who have some kind of mental illness in the "famous" or "well-known" spectrum. There are even more of those who have it in our day-to-day lives.
To learn more about mental health, visit https://www.nami.org/.
