One of the most impactful presidents the United States has ever had, Abraham Lincoln left quite the legacy. From leading the country out of civil war to the abolition of slavery, Lincoln is known for many things, yet one aspect of his life is often overlooked: throughout his life, Lincoln suffered from severe clinical depression. Mental illness wasn't a well-recognized topic at the period when Lincoln lived, but, looking back, it becomes clear that he wasn't mentally well. His close companions often described him as "dripping with melancholy," "diffident," and "plagued." In 1841, Lincoln sought the help of a doctor after becoming openly suicidal, describing himself as "the most miserable man living." After spending some time recovering with said doctor, Lincoln used his feeling of duty to his country as motivation. Serving his nation gave him a sense of purpose, and the unending nature of his work led him to live out the rest of his life. While Lincoln continued to struggle with mental issues until his assassination, his dedication to his work allowed him to escape a far more premature death. While we can point out hundreds of modern celebrities who have suffered from/overcome depression, it's another thing entirely to recognize that depression has affected millions of people throughout all of human history. Although it may be increasing, depression has been around for a long time, and countless famous historical figures have felt its burden.

Throughout his numerous appearances in sporting events or blockbuster films, The Rock is often portrayed as either a macho man or a friendly giant. For that reason, many loyal viewers are surprised to find out that The Rock actually struggled with depression on multiple instances. Johnson saw the effects of depression from a young age, when he saved his mother from her attempted suicide. After being evicted from their apartment, Johnson's mother attempted to walk into oncoming traffic, only to be jerked out of the way by Johnson before a car struck. As for The Rock himself, Johnson originally wanted to pursue a career in (American) football, before suffering numerous injuries which rendered him unable to pursue his passion. Shortly thereafter, his girlfriend left him, sending him into an awful state which he describes as "my absolute worst time." When talking with fans about the path to recovery, The Rock stressed the importance of outreach and awareness, stating: "We’ve always got to do our best to pay attention when other people are in pain. We have to help them through it and remind them they are not alone."

Many people know Ellen DeGeneres for her bubbly personality and entertaining daytime TV, but fewer know her struggles with depression. After coming out as gay, DeGeneres said she felt alienated in the entertainment industry, and that her career started to spiral downwards. Moving to Los Angeles, her condition worsened. As DeGeneres herself said, "If you ever have experienced depression, you isolate yourself and don’t reach out for help. You don’t say, ‘I’m hurting, I need help’ – you kind of crawl further into that dark hole, so that’s where I was for a while." However, through a combination of meditation, therapy, and antidepressants, DeGeneres was able to combat depression, and began to climb her way to TV stardom. DeGeneres's story is truly inspiring, as it shows how there's hope for other suffering from the same or similar debilitating illnesses: now, we get to see plenty of the Ellen that we all know and love!