Dakota Johnson Opens Up About Her Struggle With Depression

Image via Instagram, @dakotajohnson

Dakota Johnson is getting candid about her experience with depression.

At this year’s Hope for Depression Research Foundation luncheon, Hello reported that Dakota spoke openly about her mental health struggles.

Speaking about how her partner Chris Martin (lead singer of Coldplay) can see the signs of when she’s going through it, Dakota talked of a recent interaction between the two.

 

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“A few weeks ago, I was having a low day, and my partner said to me, ‘Are you really struggling?’ and I said ‘No?'”

“And he said, ‘Baby, you are wearing a Cats T-shirt,'” Dakota went on. “As in Cats the musical. So it turns out, I really was struggling. But that moment lifted me up and pulled me out of it,” she joked.

The Fifty Shades Of Grey actress went on to discuss how she copes with her depression.

“Most of the time as you can probably tell, I speak about depression or anxiety in a very self-deprecating way,” she confessed.

 

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“Perhaps, I sometimes find it easier to look it in the eyes if I mask it in comedy.

“Covering my pain or anxiety with comedy has become a lifelong tool, and I don’t think it’s a bad thing, it works, it helps me. Because, sometimes if I don’t laugh, I will cry.”

We feel you, Dakota.

The 34 year old also talked about the importance of advocacy.

 

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“If me saying one little hopeful thing or one maybe relatable thing can help one other person feel a little bit better or a little bit less alone with their experience,” she told the room, “then I am a very willing advocate.”

As someone who is generally very private about her personal life, the candour from Dakota is a surprising but welcome offering.

It’s a reminder that you don’t know what people are going through; and even the rich and famous have their struggles!

You go, Dakota.

• chris martin
• dakota johnson