Adam Ant is one of the seminal figures of new wave and alternative rock music. The Royal College of Psychiatrists, in 2004, started the Changing Minds campaign to eliminate stigma surrounding mental illness, which Ant is participating in. Ant�s intention to join the
campaign was to encourage more famous people to talk about their experiences with mental illness. In a recent television documentary, Ant candidly talked about living with bipolar disorder and being stalked. Other supporters included Tony Blair, Alan Rickman, and Peter Gabriel.5
At the age of 21, Fisher played Princess Leia in Star Wars. Her passion now is writing. Fisher is the author of the best- selling book, Postcards from the Edge, a semi-autobiography of her time in rehabilitation for substance abuse. Like many others with manic depression, she initially refused treatment, which resulted in dire consequences. Now Fisher is determined to help others avoid the mistakes she made by not getting treatment. In 2002, Fisher, Rod
Steiger, and Maurice Bernard were honored at the Erasing the Stigma Leadership Awards luncheon for their commitment to speaking the truth about mental illness and braving national scrutiny to share their personal experience.6
Lange was nominated New Star of the Year in 1976 for role remake of King Kong. She won Best Supporting Actress for her role in Tootsie. Lange starred in Blue Sky in 1994, which earned her the Best Actress award. Lange acknowledged her bouts with depression in 1995, �though my dark side is dormant right now, it continues to play a big role in whatever capacity I have to be create�that�s the well I�m able to tap into where all the anguish, rage, and sadness are stored.�7
Wallace is a prominent news correspondent for CBS with over 60 years as a journalist. He was the co-editor and co- host for 60 Minutes, when it premiered in 1968. In the mid-1980�s, Wallace self-disclosed he was receiving treatment for clinical depression.8 Wallace is a vocal spokesperson on breaking the silence and stigma surrounding mental illness. In the early 1990�s, Wallace appeared with Art Buchwald and Kay Jamison to discuss depression on the Larry King Show.9 Wallace also produced a one-hour HBO documentary, Dead Blue: Surviving Depression, to expose the pervasiveness of depression and the ability to recover from it.10
Stephanopoulus is a former high-ranking White House aide
during the Clinton�s administration. Presently, Stephanopoulus is a political analyst for ABC television. In his memoir, All Too Human, he wrote, �The pressures were getting to me too � I started to see a therapist � but admitting to mental health treatment was still a political taboo.� Stephanopoulus memoir revealed his treatment for depression and his fears around self-disclosing. But in the end, Stephanopoulus acknowledged his only regret was waiting so long for treatment.11
Simmons is the flamboyant diet-and-exercise hawking flab fighter guru. In his autobiography, Still Hungry After All These Years, Simmons candidly discusses his battle with bulimia, anorexia, childhood traumas, ill health, and semi- poverty.12
