Stars who got depressed in real life

Ashley Judd, actress and daughter/half-sister of the singing duo The Judds, revealed in 2006 that she had suffered from depression and an eating disorder.

Britain's most loved Princess Diana, ex-wife of Charles, Prince of Wales had suffered from post-partum depression (after her first son was born) and had also experienced depression from her transition to Princess of Wales. She also coped with marital problems that lead to her depression.

Sexy siren Brooke Shields bared her soul about her experiences with postpartum depression in her book Down Came the Rain. She revealed that her problems first began when daughter Rowan was born and she was unable to form a bond with her. She felt like "a complete stranger to me", said Shields. At her lowest point, she had thoughts of jumping from a window and seeing her baby thrown against the wall. Thanks to the antidepressant Paxil and a sympathetic baby nurse, Brooke was eventually able to recover and develop a loving relationship with her baby.

Jim Carrey, Hollywood's numero uno comedian hasn't had much fun in real life though. He revealed that the extreme humor he is known for was actually "desperation." He became depressed as a teenager while dealing with difficult times at home.The actor of films like Ace Ventura, Pet Detective, The Mask, The Truman Show, etc has openly discussed his history of depression and being on Prozac.

In an interview, Harry Potter author, the pretty 42 year old J.K. Rowling had revealed that she had once been suicidally depressed. She went through a low period in her mid-20's, following her separation from her first husband. She had not yet found fame and fortune with the Harry Potter series of books and was a single mother, struggling to make ends meet. Thanks to a great doctor, the lady was saved and as we all know, she gave us some amazing literature for years to come!

Parveen Babi, the sexy actress of the 70s, is most remembered for her glamorous roles in blockbusters like Deewar, Namak Halaal, Amar Akbar Anthony and Shaan. But she is also infamous for her bouts of schizophrenia. From following "Osho" to U.G.Krishnamurti in New York, she sought help in alternative contemporary spirituality but that did'nt help.

Famous controversies include her accusing Bill Clinton and co-star, Amitabh Bachchan, of conspiring to kill her. She died a lonely death, found in her apartment, 3 days after she actually died.

Aussie actor Heath Ledger, star of the gay romance movie Brokeback Mountain, suffered from depression, insomnia and addiction, according to reports. Apparently, Heath was shattered by his split from fiancee Michelle which lead him to become a recluse. He also dealt with terrible mood swings and missed his daughter Matilda a lot. He had spent several days at a drug rehab clinic battling an addiction to heroin following his split. Eventually, he was found in his apartment naked and dead due to a drug overdose.

Drew Barrymore - the amazingly good looking diva of Hollywood has had a depression history that includes a suicide attempt and being hospitalized.

She abused drugs and alcohol, attempted suicide and went to rehab at age 14. In an explanation of her battle with depression Drew has said, "I pray to be like the ocean, with soft currents, maybe waves at times. More and more, I want the consistency rather than the highs and the lows."

Catherine Zeta Jones was recently admitted for bipolar disease treatment. There have been many celebrities who have trodden the path of depression. Some have emerged, some haven't.

Actress Catherine Zeta-Jones announced in April 2011 that she was briefly hospitalized for treatment of Bipolar II Disorder after a traumatic year that saw her husband, Michael Douglas, diagnosed with and treated for throat cancer. Zeta-Jones reportedly had hinted at having depressive periods and we appreciate her honesty.