You avoid traveling overseas – Not because you don’t want to explore the world, but because the thought of getting on a plane makes your stomach turn. The moment you imagine turbulence,…
As Mental Health Awareness Month comes to a close, we rounded up 10 celebrities who’ve been open and candid about dealing with depression, anxiety, and other issues surrounding mental health.
1. Daniel Radcliffe
No one glanced at the figure of Daniel Radcliffe until he was finally involved in the Harry Potter films. Harry Potter was originally a novel by J. K. Rowling that tells the story of the wizarding world. Daniel Radcliffe plays in the film as the main character, Harry Potter. This British actor is known to have a mental disorder called OCD.
OCD or obsessive-compulsive disorder makes Daniel Radcliffe quite tormented. He said that he had OCD since he was 5 years old. It was because of this mental disorder that Daniel Radcliffe had to consult an expert. Not an easy journey but it must be done so that mental problems can be resolved.
2. Katy Perry
Pop music lovers may not know the singer Katy Perry. The singer of the song Roar is included as one of the successful singers in Hollywood. Always able to create hits and looks strong, it turns out that Katy Perry has a big problem and it makes Katy Perry depressed.
In the case of Katy Perry, she had a dead end when she was in her 30s. She was so depressed that she was unable to compose songs. One of the causes of her depression was that she broke up with her spouse. After going through those tough times, Katy Perry managed to get up and re-create songs.
3. Leonardo DiCaprio
The popularity of Leonardo DiCaprio is unquestionable. Its high popularity is certainly not without reason. Leonardio DiCaprio is highly appreciated for his excellent acting skills. It had been a question why an actor as great as himself did not get an Oscar. Finally, the wait was over when he got it in 2016.
An actor as great as Leonardo DiCaprio is not a perfect human being. He also has a serious mental disorder. DiCaprio admits that he suffers from a mental disorder known as obsessive-compulsive disorder or OCD for short. OCD causes sufferers to have uncontrollable and repetitive thoughts and urges and compulsive behaviors.
4. Robin Williams
When someone is sad and wants to find entertainment, one way is to watch comedians. But, have you ever thought what if the comedian is sad? Where should they run and seek help? This is roughly what the comedian actor, Robin Williams, experienced.
Robin Williams died shockingly in 2014. He died by suicide. After being investigated, it turned out that Robin Williams had suffered from severe depression throughout his life. The actor suffered from depression, dependence on alcohol, was sentenced to dementia, and Parkinson’s. This is what made him decide to end his life.
5. Zayn Malik
2010 was the year One Direction was born. One Direction is a British boy band consisting of 5 handsome men. They are Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik. The boyband has been on hiatus for a long time and some of its members have solo careers, namely Zayn Malik.
Zayn Malik through an interview, open to the public by telling how he suffered from mental disorders. In the interview he admitted to having problems with anxiety and depression. This mental disorder makes it difficult to live life and make decisions. He also had an eating disorder when he was still in One Direction.
6. Chris Evans
Marvel has always been selective in choosing which actors will play the characters in the comics. Robert Downey Jr., Hugh Jackman, Chris Hemsworth, and Chris Evans were very well chosen to play superhero characters from Marvel comics. From some of the names that have been mentioned, it turns out that Chris Evans, who became Captain America, has a mental disorder called social anxiety.
In an interview, Chris Evans shared how he struggled with social anxiety. He realized that if this was not addressed immediately, this could threaten his career in film. Social anxiety is a mental disorder that causes sufferers to experience unreasonable anxiety when engaging in social interactions. Sufferers can feel panic, fear, and shame when they have to face other people.
7. Camila Cabello
The appearance of the girl group Fifth Harmony in 2012 gave a new color to the music world. Fifth Harmony is from America and consists of Ally Brooke, Normani, Dinah Jane, Lauren Jauregui, and Camila Cabello. One of its members, Camila Cabello, decided to leave and go solo in 2016.
This Cuban-American singer has become one of Hollywood’s top singers. Young, beautiful, and can write her own songs, very talented. In 2022, Camila Cabello talks about her mental health. She has anxiety and OCD. OCD is what makes her experience anxiety. This disorder bothered her so much until she didn’t even want to work until her mental condition got better.
8. Adele
There are many singers with extraordinary vocal power. Adele became one of the many singers who have extraordinary vocal power. And plus it turns out that Adele is experiencing problems with her mental health.
The Grammy-winning singer opened up to the public about her mental health. She admitted that she had experienced postpartum depression after giving birth. Postpartum depression is a condition when a mother feels sad, guilty, and other common forms of depression for a long time after giving birth. Adele doesn’t have any medical procedures or talk about it with anyone and that really bothers her.
9. Lady Gaga
Have you ever heard of PTSD? PTSD is a mental disorder that causes the sufferer to experience trauma after experiencing a traumatic event. It could happen because he experienced or even witnessed. PTSD stands for post-traumatic stress disorder, and is usually experienced by soldiers.
A number of famous Hollywood celebrities suffer from this mental disorder, including one of them is Lady Gaga. Lady Gaga, who is known for her eccentricity, bombastic songs, and unique style of dress, admits that she suffers from PTSD. The PTSD she experienced was because when she was 19 years old, she had been a victim of rape.
10. Dwayne Johnson
Starting as a wrestler following in his father’s footsteps, Dwayne Johnson has now transformed into a famous Hollywood actor. Even his name was included in the list of the highest paid actors in the world. Even actors who have tall and burly bodies have experienced problems with their mental health.
It seems we really can’t judge people from their physical appearance alone. Dwayne Johnson as a child had depression. The deep depression he experienced was because he had seen and saved his mother from an attempted suicide. It is very painful to see the person who gave birth to him wanting to end his life.
Dia de los Muertos is perhaps the most popular holiday in Mexico, symbolized in the classic skull painting. While it’s look like a Halloween for foreigners, Dia de los Muertos has actually other meaning behind it. Let’s check out what does this tradition really represent!
Dia de los Muertos, The Day of the Death
In Mexico, there is a unique tradition to remember the dead that called as Day of the Death or famously known as Dia de los Muertos.
In contrast to most of the culture, while the family members will be mourning during the death date of someone they love, Mexican are actually celebrating it in the form of festival. It has similar concept with the Ma’nene tradition from Torajan, while the villagers are celebrating the life among the death.
The Lady of The Dead
The Day of the Death festival exist since 2,500 to 3,000 years ago while the origin villagers are celebrating the soul of the dead. The tradition was actually dedicated to a Goddess of Mictecacihuatl or also known as “The Lady of the Dead”.
The Aztecs and other Mesoamerican peoples do have a unique tradition of keeping skulls in their homes and will display the skulls during festival activities. The tradition of displaying the skull symbolizes death and rebirth.
Symbolize Life Guarantee After Death
Death has always played an important role in the procession of worshiping the gods and performing rituals in ancient Mexican civilization. The Aztecs believed that when a person died in childbirth, or as a sacrifice for others or died in battle, it was a blessing. They believe that people who die in these conditions will get the desired life guarantee after death.
However, when the Spanish Conquistadors arrived in Mexico, they considered the celebration impolite and changed the date of the celebration to coincide with the Christian holidays of All Saints’ Day and the Day of the Spirit which fall on November 1 and 2. The combination of European Catholic traditions and indigenous Mexican traditions eventually formed the current El Dia de Los Muertos celebration.
Now, El Dia de Los Muertos is celebrated every November 1 and 2 by Mexican, Central and South Americans and by Latinos living in parts of the United States and Canada to honor deceased relatives and friends.
November 1 is known as Dia de Los Angelitos and is dedicated to the memory of the spirits of children. Meanwhile, on November 2, it is called Dia de Los Difuntos to commemorate the spirits of adults.
The Altar Decoration
During the Dia de Los Muertos celebration, each family will make an altar decorated with various colorful trinkets ranging from photos, Aztec Marigolds (Mexican death flowers), calacas and calaveras (skeletons and skulls), skull-shaped candy, papel picado ( a kind of Mexican ornament), the deceased’s favorite foods, drinks, and items during the dead’s lifetime.
The celebration of Dia de Los Muertos is indeed identic with altars or commonly known as ofrendas. These altars were erected and decorated to honor deceased relatives. Mexicans believe that this celebration makes it easier for the souls of the dead to visit those who are still alive during the two days.
Not just that, Mexicans also believe that these spirits will come to eat and party with them during the festive day. During the celebrations, family members will offer prayers to the deceased in the hope that the dead will hear them.
During the festival, The Mexicans will also visit graves and place offerings on the graves of their relatives. They will also clean the tomb and decorate it with beautiful ornaments and light candles around the tomb. During night of the festive day, the atmosphere in the tomb actually looks very beautiful with thousands of lit candles.
Not only at homes and cemeteries, but the streets will also turn lively when Dia de Los Muertos festival is held. Everyone in the community will feast on ghost costume parades, art exhibitions, musical performances, and more.
Welcome Food For The Dead
The Mexican believes that the spirit might be hungry and thirsty after the long journey from the spirit world to the living world. Hence, the family usually will present the favorite food of their dead loved on the altar. The offering of the foods are usually consist of what the person enjoyed when they were still alive.
However, the most common meal in the altar offering is Pan de muerto, or also known as bread of the dead. In Mexico, Pan de muerto is usually presented at most of the bakeries and supermarkets by middle of October. Mexican honor the loved ones who passed away and leave them offerings at their gravesites or at altars made at home.
Mexicans do not see death as the end of life, but interpret it as the beginning of a new life. That’s why Dia de Los Muertos is performed in a cheerful and colorful celebratory setting.
Among Indonesia’s indigenous tribes, the Toraja of South Sulawesi is pretty unique in how they approach the common human experience of death, Ma’nene Torajan tradition.
In this unique tradition, living relatives first exhume their ancestors or loved ones from the Patane, a type of mausoleum made of wood unique to the Torajans. Once the preserved bodies are cleaned, they are then dressed up in new clothes and reunited with their extended families and the whole village.
Originated From Toraja Land
Toraja land, Indonesia has natural and cultural charm. This land has various unique cultural rituals such as Rambu Solo and Rambu Tuka’. However, the most unique tradition that is famously known is called Ma’nene tradition. This traditional ritual replaces the clothes of ancestral bodies in the village of Pangala, North Toraja, South Sulawesi.
Ma’nene is a form of ritual that reflects the importance of family relationships. The Torajan people believe that the Ma’nene ritual can provide peace and prosperity for the bereaved family.
Ma’nene Torajan Tradition
The Ma’nene ritual is a continuation of the Rambu Solo’ ceremony. If Rambu Solo’ is synonymous with grief, Rambu Tuka describes a joy. For the Torajan people, the Ma’nene ritual is a symbol between Rambu Solo’ and Rambu Tuka. They claimed that they feel joy and sorrow during the Ma’nene ritual.
Together, each family lifted the bodies of their dead ancestors, just like as the people who are still alive. Before the ritual begin, the Torajan clean the corpse body in detail and neatly.
Without any slight of fear from cleaning the dead body, each family rejoices while doing the Ma’nene tradition. You’ll see their togetherness during the Ma’nene ritual.
The first step, family members will go to Patane, which is the grave house of the Torajan people. Together they removed the body from the grave. Various bodies that are tens to hundreds of years old are there. Then, they clean the body and change the clothes with a new one. Complete with glasses, hair tie and even a belt. However, the new clothes are the same as the ones they wore when they were still alive.
After the cleaning part, they will put the dead body in line and all the villagers will erect the dead body around the village as if they’re still alive.
The Torajan people do it as a form of respect for their ancestors. In their perspective, Ma’nene is a moment of joy and sorrow for family members.
In addition to remember and pay respects, family members even took pictures with the bodies of their ancestors. When you visit this land, you can also ask permission to the family members to take pictures with the bodies together with their families. It is a thrilling and unique experience that you should not miss.
Afterwards, the villagers will put back the clean and neat body into the coffin. The differences in burial burrows are a marker of social status in Toraja. The stone grave on the hill indicates that the person was a nobleman. Meanwhile, the community resides in the Patane cemetery housing complex.
Corpse Preservation
The Ma’nene ritual then continued with “Sisemba”, a ritual of eating with family members. They celebrate the final steps of the tradition by eating together. Each clan will provide special food from their family.
Despite tens to hundreds of years, the corpse remains good. In fact, the Toraja people have a special herb to preserve corpses. After the body dries it will be stored in a coffin. The coffin is then put into Patane and a rocky hill burrow.
History
Ma’nene rituals have been performed for hundreds of years.
It started when an animal hunter, Pong Rumasek found a body in the middle of the road. He then took care of the remains of the bones. He put on the clothes he was wearing.
The local believe that it helps him during the hunt which result in a good harvest season. That’s when the Ma`nene ritual happen once every 3 years.
Bottom Line
Its beautiful nature and thick culture attract local and foreign tourists. Toraja’s cultural wealth will always be maintained even though it is in the midst of the times. A unique and phenomenal ritual that you should see in person.
