One of the most common reactions I get when people find out that I write a blog about celebrities and mental health for Psych Central is, “I heard [enter some famous person's name here] has depression/bipolar disorder/schizophrenia/etc. Is that true?”

I’m not an expert on celebrities and mental illness, especially not in the “I know every celebrity who’s ever dealt with mental health issues” sense; really, I have the same kind of access to the information that every other person who is not that celebrity’s doctor or loved one has: Research of information the celebrity has made public or that has become public after the celebrity’s death. Eventually, the findings of that research start to build up in the brain and there are questions I can answer “Yes” or “No” to, but many times it’s “I don’t know” or “That’s what I’ve heard.”

Still, having that kind of knowledge base can come in handy. Many people appreciate it when celebrities come forward about the same kinds of issues we nonfamous folk deal with. Sometimes it makes us feel not so alone. Sometimes it helps us see that we’re all human dealing with the same human problems. Sometimes it gives us hope.

Holly Lebowitz Rossi of Beliefnet.com created the Celebrity Depression Heroes quiz, a much more interactive way of learning about and testing your own knowledge about celebrities and depression. Head on over and give it a try – some of the questions are tricky, and some of the answers just might surprise you!

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    Last reviewed: 11 Jan 2010