Depression Confession, Sort Of: Patrick Dempsey
Though the headline of this article is "My career caused depression," I'm not quite sure what he means when he says, "It took me two days to get psyched." Two days seems okay to me. It took me about 10 years. Full text:
Actor Patrick Dempsey has said he experienced bouts of depression in his younger years over his acting career.The World Entertainment News Network reports that the 'Grey's Anatomy' star thought he was destined for Hollywood stardom after his initial success in the 1987 comedy 'Can't Buy Me Love'.
But Dempsey found it difficult to remain upbeat when he lost out on other starring roles.
The actor's marriage to his former manager Rocky Parker, a woman 26 years his senior, ended and a period of severe depression followed.
He said: "It was a very difficult time. I was insecure. I felt I was no good. It took me two days to get psyched and it was very hard to stay positive. There were years when I wasn't working and people didn't care about me."
Dempsey and Parker divorced in 1994; he has since remarried and has three children with make-up artist Jill Fink.
The actor has now experienced worldwide fame thanks to the hit medical drama series 'Grey's Anatomy'.
Comments
hmmm.... i was perplexed by his "It took me two days to get psyched" comment also - surely one doesn't get over depression in 2 days?! i'd have to say they were suffering from disappointment rather than depression if that were the case.
but then i re-read it and i think i've realized what was being said. he had a long-term severe period of depression following his marriage breakdown and thereafter was out of work and being rejected acting roles for many years. he lost belief in himself and got to the point where he would have to psyche himself up for 2 days before he could even face an audition.
yeah that sounds like depression to me.
Posted by: Simon | December 20, 2007 12:23 PM
he isn't quoted in the full text as saying he suffered through a period of severe depression. the writer said it. i don't know if dempsey actually said it though. the quoted text from dempsey definitely doesn't sound like the severe depression i've suffered, or like any actual clinical depression. it sounds tough but we can't tell from that text whether it was depression (according to dempsey's quotes).
in any event, this article leaves me feeling like the author suggests that dempsey was "depressed" until he achieved "world-wide fame," and when that happened, his depression was cured! ... which sounds kind of crazy to me!
Posted by: rebecca | December 20, 2007 11:29 PM
Liz, obviously I love your blog, but I have to question your recurring "Depression Confession" theme. A lot of the people you've featured on here certainly do struggle with mental illness, but a lot of them just face the normal emotional reactivity that anyone deals with. As someone with the seriousness of your condition, I would think you would certainly agree. Most of these celebrities just sound like they were in prolonged periods of despair. That's not a confession of mental illness, that's just a routine part of being human. Why should I experience any relief or less alienation from OCD or whatever anyone else here has because this guy was sad after his marriage broke down?
Posted by: Andrew | December 21, 2007 04:17 AM