Jim Carrey

Accomplished comedic actor Jim Carrey has endured a long and difficult journey with depression. For years, the successful comedian privately suffered from mood swings, anger, and feelings of deep despair.

For a time, Carrey tried taking Prozac to relieve his depression, but he didn’t find the medication particularly helpful. He said taking it helped somewhat for a brief period, but it certainly didn’t “cure” his condition. He's right. Although antidepressants like Prozac can help people with depression manage their illness, medication is by no means a magical, overnight fix.

Carrey realized he needed to get to the root of his condition and understand the source of his emotions. In his view, Prozac was numbing him to his emotions, and he felt it was important to explore those feelings instead of trying to stifle them.

As Carrey has stated, no matter who you are, we’re all human, and that means we’re all vulnerable to issues like mental illness. Carrey has learned to live with depression by steering clear of alcohol and drugs, exploring his spirituality, and adapting his perception of life.

Photo source: Jim Carrey by John Bakharev