Kristen Bell on Living with Depression and Anxiety | Body Stories | SELF

Our May cover star Kristen Bell shares her ongoing journey with self-care and acceptance. She also talks about speaking openly and honestly with her children, struggling with anxiety, and talking about depression in her family with her mom. "At 40, I don't believe anything should be taboo."



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Kristen Bell on Living with Depression and Anxiety | Body Stories | SELF

[Robstu]

It blows my mind that some people just don’t have depression....I wonder what that’s like....

[daviewaviee]

"I would rather not do something than decide what to do." A WORD. She put into words what I can never explain about my anxiety. *Decision fatigue*, and depression as an inability to be happy about anything. Bless this lady. 💟

[LittleAngelooekcme]

Decision fatigue is something I feel so often. The smallest decisions feel impossible, and the big decisions are so overwhelming.

[cherrykissesxo]

She is very lucky to have had a parent who was educated enough and emotionally mature enough to sit her down and help her understand what she’s going through. I would have given anything for a parent like that growing up.

[tamikash]

I absolutely love how transparent Kristen and Dax is about their struggles in life. They are very relatable.

[TeamUCAN]

It is so great that her mother explained to her when she was younger that herself and her grandmother have had those feelings and that they could recognise that in her. It is amazing because support is a huge factor of mental health. Without support it can make it 100% harder to live with anxiety and depression.

[SX-svvo]

I never would have believed that she had anxiety and depression. This gives me so much hope for myself. Thank you, Kristen.

[LitKritKitchen]

I think the best thing about this video isn’t the truth she spoke, nor how relatable it was (which is beyond amazing in both instances) but I think the best thing is reading the comments and truly knowing you are not alone. I think we often minimize mental health to just us, and forget there are millions out there struggling everyday but not giving up, it’s a beautiful motivation to be apart of.

[SteelRaider]

It's hard when you're privileged and everyone is telling you how you should achieve better things but then you have anxiety and depression and people tell you you're ungrateful. Some days are so frustrating it's like your brain gives up multiple times and you have to drag it on. And there's this feeling of self disgust why I can't behave normally.

[FlorenceB]

I'm having some feelz right now. Hugs to all who find themselves here.

[Aced]

I love hearing successful people talk about depression and anxiety, it gives me hope, even though I'm dealing with it, I can still go after the things I want in life

[remyscott]

I have been depressed for a long time, but after taking shrooms few months ago, l feel much happier and highly motivated and my ADHD gone, lost a ton of anxiousness and had a few epiphanies about how I should live my life. I decided to buy an ounce for backup, but haven’t yet felt the need to take any more since then.

[sph_dng]

I feel like Kristen Bell hasn't changed since I first saw her on Veronica Mars in the early 2000s, & she's such a good role model

[Freedom_and_Acceptance]

For women it's also good to check your menstrual cycle, I feel much more tired and down at certain days of my cycle and I've learned to plan around it. So when those days come, I expect less of myself and let things go more.

[bernadettemclean]

Yes it’s so unfair my heart goes out to anyone having anxiety and depression

[Deeluna]

The feeling of not getting excited about fun things in life..I feel the same thing trying to get my old self back but been stuck in this rut for 2 years it sucks

[anniei.]

“Which I cultivate and I nurture and try really hard to exist as”...I felt that so deeply! Sometimes it seems to people on the outside that it just happens for us and it’s effortless to the point that we start to think it should be ourselves...she’s right! It’s an effort that we put forth!

[alittlepieceofearth]

Inability to make decisions?! "I can't figure that out. I don't have the brain power." We may have been separated at birth.

[Kindlycallmecarebear]

Family not know how to talk about anxiety and depression is something that I had to forgive AND forgive again.

[Wil_Dasovich]

wow this was very enlightening. She is really good at articulating what she is going through and her feelings. Respect!