3. Lady Gaga
The “Born This Way” singer opened up to Billboard in 2015 about her mental health issues. “I’ve suffered through depression and anxiety my entire life; I still suffer with it every single day. I just want these kids to know that that depth that they feel as human beings is normal. We were born that way. This modern thing, where everyone is feeling shallow and less connected? That‘s not human,” Gaga said.
The Grammy Award–winning artist, born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, created the Born This Way Foundation in 2012 to build empowered communities and improve mental health resources for young adults.
“I openly admit to having battled depression and anxiety and I think a lot of people do,” Gaga said in a 2016 interview with The Mirror. “I think it’s better when we all say: ‘Cheers!’ And ‘fess up to it.” There’s no need to hide our issues — that only contributes to the stigma that makes people uncomfortable with them. With the number of girls being affected by depression now reaching an all time high, and the overall amount of teens reporting major depression increasing, we need to encourage people to get help, not stay silent.