Famous People With PTSD: Celebrities Tell Their Stories
Famous People With PTSD
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health condition that traumatic events like war, abuse, and natural disasters can cause. The fear you experience in those situations can imprint itself so the experience it again when something triggers it.
These symptoms can have a big effect on a person’s life and the lives of the surrounding folks. Remember that even with the traumatic experiences, it is a disorder that can be treated with professional support.
These are some symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder:
- vivid flashbacks (feeling like it is happening right now)
- Troubling thoughts or images that bother you.
- nightmares.
- Mental pain when real or symbolic reminders of the incident are triggered.
- pain, sweating, feeling sick, or shaking are all physical symptoms.
- severe panic attacks and sudden gripping fear.
You are at high risk of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder when you experience a life-threatening event such as a car crash, witnessing a shooting, being in a war zone, being in Intensive Care in hospital.
Many celebrities with PTSD have been able to get better and get over their PTSD symptoms. In this post, we’ll look at the stories of well-known folks who have been brave enough to talk about living with PTSD and how they could keep going when things got hard.
We hope that hearing their stories will encourage you to ask for support if you or someone you know has this terrible condition. It is thought that 6.7% of the population of the United States will be diagnosed with PTSD at some point in their lives.
But many folks who have been through terrible things can still live happy, healthy lives.
Celebs Who have been told they have PTSD.
Here are some famous people with post-traumatic stress. Each celebrity is still a human being with human feelings and that’s why their stories touch us.
1. Ariana Grande
Moments after Ariana Grande finished her last song at Manchester Arena on May 22, 2017, a suicide bombing happened causing an explosion that killed 22 people and caused serious injuries to 116 others. Ariana Grande was deeply disturbed by this.
Ariana Grande is a well-known singer, songwriter, and actress who has been open about her struggles. Grande talked about how the bad things that have happened to her have affected her mental health and how she has learned to deal with it in a recent interview.
Grande has used her fame to bring attention to mental health issues and encourage sufferers to get anxiety treatment. Grande works through her charity, the “Ariana Grande Foundation,” for kids who are going through traumatic stress. The foundation offers treatment programmes to support them to get over the effects of trauma.
Grande uses her fame to bring attention to PTSD and other mental health issues, besides the good things she does for charity. Grande hopes to support those who are struggling by talking about her own struggles with mental health.
2. Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi is a well-known actor, comedian, and talk show host. She has been open about her fight with trauma. She was given the diagnosis after childhood trauma.
Whoopi is now a supporter of mental health awareness, and she has used her platform to talk about how important it is to get treatment when dealing with suffering and mental health problems.
Whoopi Goldberg is also a powerful supporter of getting rid of the negative stereotypes about those who experience PTSD and other mental illnesses. Through her work, she wants to aid individuals with these conditions be more understood and accepted. Whoopi has shown the power of sharing one’s story and the important message of healing and recovery it sends to others by being open about her own struggles with PTSD.
3. Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger is a well-known musician, and the lead singer of the Rolling Stones. In a recent interview, he said that after the death of his father in 2003 he had trouble with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Music, meditation, and exercise have helped him feel better over the years. He also told his story to support folks who are having trouble with their mental health. Mick Jagger is a role model for many people who have been through similar things, and he shows it is possible to deal with the problems that come with PTSD.
4. Jackie Kennedy Onassis
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was an influential woman who got over the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder after her husband, President John F. Kennedy, was shot and killed. Like many people with this condition, she had a variety of symptoms, such as sudden attacks of fear, anxiety, depression, irritability, and a change in how she behaved. In her case, the disorder had effects on more than just her physical and mental health. It also hurt her social life and career. After the assassination, it was hard for her to keep her home life with her children and her job as a writer and editor stable.
Even with these problems, Onassis dealt with her symptoms and keep living. She wrote a famous book called A Woman Alone about the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Later, she became an editor at Doubleday & Co., which was started by her father-in-law, Arthur B. Schlesinger. Her strength in the face of tragedy has helped many people who are struggling to get over their own tragedies.
5. Monica Seles
Monica Seles used to play tennis. A fan stabbed her in the back during a match in Germany in 1993. Seles was rushed to the hospital after the attack. There, she was treated for severe bleeding and a collapsed lung. But the attack left her with a lot of psychological damage that hasn’t gone away. Since then, she has become a firm voice for mental health awareness. She talks openly about her own experiences with PTSD and encourages other people who have been through similar things to get help. In 2016, Seles started the Monica Seles Foundation, which is a charity that helps people who have been hurt physically or emotionally. Her dedication to advocating for mental health has made a big difference in the mental health movement, and her courage and strength have encouraged many folks to talk about their own struggles with PTSD.
Throughout her tennis career, Seles showed a lot of courage and strength when things didn’t go her way. This gave others the courage to talk about their own struggles with PTSD. She helped bring more attention to this disorder and make progress toward treating it because she was brave and worked hard.
A fan stabbed her in the back during a match in Germany in 1993. Seles was rushed to the hospital after the attack. There, she was treated for severe bleeding and a collapsed lung. But the attack left her with a lot of psychological damage that hasn’t gone away.
Seles has been open about how PTSD has changed her life and how yoga and therapy have helped her deal with the effects. She says that her family and friends helped her through this hard time, and she urges others who are struggling with PTSD or any other mental health issue to ask for help.
6. Shia LaBeouf
Shia LaBeouf is an actor and performance artist who has talked openly about his struggles with PTSD . In an interview with The Guardian in 2017, Shia LaBeouf revealed for the first time that he was diagnosed with the disorder after having flashbacks, nightmares, and unwanted thoughts.
He says that therapy and writing helped him feel better while he was getting better. LaBeouf has talked about his PTSD in public to aid other people who have it feel less alone. Through his work as a social activist and mental health awareness advocate, he wants people to be more accepting of those who may have mental health problems.
7. Barbra Streisand
Barbra Streisand has been a big name in the entertainment business for a long time. She is known for her work on stage, in movies, and on TV, and she has won a lot of awards and praise for it. In the past few years, Streisand has been very open about her struggles with this condition, which she says started when she was a child. She has talked about how traumatic events have changed her life and her art, which has inspired other survivors to get treatment and never give up on getting better.
Streisand’s story is a powerful example of how people who have been through terrible things can bounce back. Folks with PTSD can get through hard times and reach their goals if they work hard and are dedicated. People with PTSD need to get support from therapists and support groups in order to get better.
8. Alanis Morissette
Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morisette has talked about her experiences with post-traumatic stress disorder. Morissette is a talented musician who has talked openly about how living with PTSD and anxiety has been hard and how it has affected her career and personal life. In an interview in 2018, Morissette said that she had PTSD for almost 20 years before she got help. Since then, she has become an outspoken supporter of mental health awareness and often talks about how important it is to get treatment for trauma-related disorders.
Morissette’s openness about her struggles has helped bring more attention to the issue and changed the way people think about mental health treatment. She is a powerful voice in the movement to stop making people with these problems feel bad about themselves and support them, and her story is inspiring other people to get treatment and reach their full potential.
9. Lady Gaga
Lady Gag, singer and award-winning actress has been open about the trouble she has had with PTSD. She says the disorder started when she was 19 and was sexually assaulted.
Gaga told Elle Magazine in a recent interview that the traumatic event left her feeling emotionally numb and that it took her a long time to recover. But as time went on, she built up a strong sense of resilience that helped her deal with the disorder.
Gaga uses her fame to bring attention to mental health problems and encourage people with PTSD to get help. She also works with groups like the Born This Way Foundation to improve mental health and make sure that individuals with this disorder don’t feel judged.
Lady Gaga has talked about what she went through more than once. She wrote a book about her life called “Born This Way” and has talked about abuse in public several times.
Gaga has used her fame to talk about how important it is to get treatment and stop stigma. She works for groups like the Born This Way Foundation, which helps men and women with PTSD and other psychological problems. Through her work, Gaga wants to support folks on a personal level and raise awareness and understanding of psychological issues.
On her studio album “Joanne,” which came out in 2017, she put out the song “ILLUMINATE,” which is about sexual abuse and trauma.
10. Charlize Theron
Charlize Theron, the South African-born actress, has spoken publicly about her experiences with this condition and how it relates to her home country of South Africa. In a 2018 interview with The New York Times, she talked about growing up during the height of apartheid in South Africa, and how the violence and racism she witnessed during that time has affected her. She also mentioned that she has had psychological treatment for her PTSD and it has helped her to process and cope with the traumatic memories from her childhood.
Charlize Theron’s father, Charles Theron, was murdered by her mother, Gerda Maritz, in 1991. According to reports, Charles had been physically and emotionally abusive towards Gerda and Charlize, and on the night of the incident, he had come home under the influence and threatened to kill them both. In self-defense, Gerda shot and killed Charles. The incident was ruled as justifiable homicide and Gerda was not charged with any crime. Charlize has spoken publicly about the traumatic event and how it has affected her life and career.
The actress has used her fame to bring attention to mental illness and encourage others to get support. Theron has also become a supporter of military veterans with PTSD, helping them find resources and getting them treatment.
11. Barbara Streisand
Barbara Streisand is a well-known American actress, singer, and director who has talked about her struggles with PTSD. In an interview with the U.S. National Institutes of Health in 2015, she talked about how hard it was for her as a teen after her parents died when she was 15. She talked about how PTSD affected her life, including the panic attacks, self-doubt, and trouble sleeping. Streisand is a supporter of mental illness awareness, and she uses her fame to bring attention to post-traumatic stress disorder and the benefits of treatment.
She has not spoken publicly about any specific traumatic event that might have caused her mental health issues. Streisand has been open about her struggles with mental health, especially anxiety, and has credited therapy and medication for helping her to manage her symptoms. She has also been a vocal advocate for destigmatizing mental illness and encouraging others to seek treatment if they need it.
12. Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato, the American singer and actress, has spoken publicly about her experiences with this terrible condition and how it relates to an incident that occurred in 2018. In July of that year, Lovato was found unconscious in her home from an overdose of opioids. She was hospitalized and later entered a rehab facility to address her addiction issues. In the aftermath of the incident, Lovato revealed that she had been dealing with PTSD stemming from the overdose, which triggered memories of past traumas, including sexual assault and physical abuse. She also discussed how she has been working on her PTSD through therapy and other forms of treatment.
The 20-year-old singer from the “Skyrim” movie series wrote about her recovery in a blog post called “A Girl With PTSD” on her website. She wrote about how hard it is to deal with bad things when you’re young, but she also said that it doesn’t make you who you are.
13. Mike Tyson
When he was a child, the former world heavyweight champion lost both of his parents in a car accident. This was a traumatic event for him. He has been open about how hard it is for him to deal with PTSD, and he has joined several support groups to support him to get better.
Mike Tyson is a well-known boxer, but not many folks know that he also has PTSD. In his autobiography, “Undisputed,” published in 2006, he talked openly about his disorder. He said that before his first title fight against Evander Holyfield in 1999, he had seen a therapist to deal with his anxiety disorder and panic attacks.
14. J. K. Rowling
J.K. Rowling, who wrote the Harry Potter books, has talked in public about having post-traumatic stress disorder . In a 2016 blog post, she talked about how she felt after her mother died, including having flashbacks, nightmares, and feelings of fear and depression. She also said that she went to therapy, which helped her understand and deal with the effects.
Celebrities With PTSD: Conclusion
Individuals who are struggling with mental illness can learn a lot from celebrities who have been open about their mental health problems and how others have helped them. Anyone can experience these problems. The celebrities show that it is possible to get better and that folks who live in the public eye can still take care of their mental health.
The stories from celebrities demonstrate that it’s okay to not be okay sometimes and that people with mental illness can still be successful and happy. Don’t forget that you’re not alone and that there is hope!
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders official psychiatric criteria can be found here
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK207191/box/part1_ch3.box16/
The Same Treatments Work for Famous People as For Ordinary Folks
Many celebrities who have spoken publicly about their struggles. In many cases they have used drugs and alcohol to cope, which is not unusual. Before having psychological therapy they will need an alcohol detox. Even if you don’t need alcohol treatment, you should cut out drink and drugs as a necessary step to recovery. Treatments include:
- Therapy: Some have sought psychological support through traditional talk therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR).
- Medication: Some have used prescription medications, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), to manage symptoms.
- Complementary and alternative treatments: Some have used complementary and alternative treatments such as yoga, acupuncture, and mindfulness-based practices to manage symptoms.
- Support groups: Some have participated in support groups, which provide a safe space to talk about experiences and connect with others who have been through similar experiences.
- Adventure therapy: Some have engaged in adventure therapy, which combines outdoor activities with therapy and support.
Remember, this can happen to anyone. It’s important to note that what works for one person may not work for another and it’s important to work with a mental health professional to find the best approach for an individual’s needs and situation.
Help For Your Getting Your Life Back after Post Traumatic Stress
Here are some authoritative websites for support:
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) – https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) – https://www.ptsd.va.gov/
- Mayo Clinic – https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20355967
- American Psychological Association (APA) – https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline
- National Center for PTSD – https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treatment/overview/ptsd-clinical-practice-guideline-4th-edition.asp
