Rosalynn Carter and 10 other notable mental health advocates

By Stewart Bowling, Courtney Hoff Dockerty

November 21, 2023 5:30 AM

As the nation reflects on the death of former first lady Rosalynn Carter, who passed away on November 19, it's impossible to ignore the ahead-of-her-time contributions she made as a mental health advocate.

Carter first took up the cause when her husband was the governor of Georgia in the 1970s. She brought these same efforts to the White House and continued this work throughout the rest of her public service career.

Today, the need for mental health support is of course no less. In the wake of the pandemic, mental health needs have soared. According to Mental Health America, 21 percent of U.S. adults are currently experiencing a mental illness, 55% of whom will receive no support or treatment. Of workers managing a mental health condition, 80% said stigma and shame have kept them from seeking care and support, according to a 2019 study by the National Alliance for Mental Illness.

As we look back on Carter's own legacy, EBN explored other notable public figures who are using their platform to shake off the stigma that is often associated with mental health care and support. Scroll through to find out how 10 boldface names have followed Carter's lead, using their position to advocate for mental health.

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Rosalynn Carter

Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter was a pioneer in mental health advocacy, taking up the cause beginning when her husband was the governor of Georgia in the 1970s, bringing the same efforts to the White House and continuing this important work throughout the rest of her public service career.

"Twenty-five years ago, we did not dream that people might someday be able actually to recover from mental illnesses," Carter said in 2003 at the Symposium on Mental Health Policy. "Today it is a very real possibility ... For one who has worked on mental health issues as long as I have, this is a miraculous development and an answer to my prayers."

Based on her advocacy experiences, Carter published multiple books about mental health, covering a range of topics from caregiving to equity for mental illnesses in the health care system. She was recognized many times for her efforts, including America's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

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Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga's connection to young people is not just through music and film, but her understanding of the mental health challenges they can face. Putting words into action, she co-founded the Born This Way Foundation to "make kindness cool, validate the emotions of young people and eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health."

In partnership with Jack.org, her foundation offers a free online mental health tool called the "Be There Certificate" to educate young people on how to support each other in a safe and kind way.

"Sharing this resource with each of those young people and the world means everything to me," Lady Gaga told People in 2022. "I share it as a way to remind myself and everyone else that we each have a role to play in being there for each other."

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Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson

Dwayne Johnson may be a larger-than-life character in his movies, but in real life, he's more relatable than he appears on screen — and all too familiar with the struggles that come with depression.

"As men, we didn't talk about it," said Johnson in a post on his Instagram earlier this year. "We just kept our heads down and worked thru [sic] it. Not healthy, but it's all we knew."

Having had depression in college without realizing it, he's now vocal about encouraging people to act. "It can't be fixed if you keep that pain inside," said Johnson. "Having the courage to talk to someone is your superpower. I lost two friends to suicide. Talk to someone. Despite how you may feel, you're never alone."

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Demi Lovato

Demi Lovato was no stranger to the stage after breaking through as a singer in their teens, but they took a brave step to stand before an audience at the National Alliance of Mental Illness convention in 2014 at age 22 to talk about their bipolar disorder and urge politicians to pass mental health reform.

"I used to speak onstage, not about mental health care, but illness and trying to take away the stigma and taboo of mental illness," Lovato told The San Diego Tribune about their 2016 concert tour, during which they provided wellness workshops focused on mental health in each city for fans.

Lovato became the honorary chair of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for being a positive role model for young adults suffering from mental health and substance abuse issues. They are also the face of the online therapy platform Talkspace.

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Megan Thee Stallion

Rapper Megan Thee Stallion is not immune to mental health troubles, as her aptly named website for support attests: "Bad Bitches Have Bad Days Too."

Launched last year, the website offers a range of mental health resources for her fans, including therapy platforms, hotlines for suicide and substance abuse, mental health podcasts and resources specifically tailored to the LGBTQIA+ and Black communities.

In songs like "Anxiety", the rapper gives voice, and hope, to numerous sufferers: "They keep sayin' I should get help/ But I don't even know what I need/ They keep sayin' speak your truth/ And at the same time say they don't believe."

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Mayim Bialik

The term OCD is thrown around as if obsessive-compulsive behavior is not a serious condition, but as a comedic actress with a Ph.D. in neuroscience focusing on OCD, Mayim Bialik knows that it's no joke.

In a short video made with the Child Mind Institute called "Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and What I Would Tell #MyYoungerSelf", Bialik talks about her struggles growing up with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

"One of the things that made my life really difficult was trying new things, and it's still really hard for me," said Bialik in the video. "What I found is that, with trusting other people and learning to trust other people and lean on them for support, you can make changes and still be okay."

Bialik is helping others make that change with her podcast Mayim Bialik's Breakdown, in which she aims to deconstruct the myths about mental health and emotional well-being.

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Ariana Grande

Following the 2017 bombing at her concert in Manchester, England, which killed 22 people and wounded hundreds, Ariana Grande struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder.

"I've always had anxiety," said Grande in an interview with British Vogue in 2018. "I've never really spoken about it because I thought everyone had it, but when I got back from tour it was the most severe I think it's ever been."

Posting weekly on Instagram about mental health resources during Mental Health Awareness Month and working with mental health platform BetterHelp to give away $2 million in free therapy are two of the ways Grande has been working to end the stigma around taking care of your mental health.

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Caleb Williams

You have to be a unique talent to become a Heisman Trophy winner, but 2022 recipient Caleb Williams recognizes there are things we all share when it comes to mental health.

"I'm not different," said Williams in an interview with ESPN in 2022. "We all go through some struggles. Depending on who you are, you take things differently. I'm trying to be there for whoever I can."

Being there for Williams meant founding the Caleb Cares Foundation dedicated to "eliminating bullying, increasing mental health awareness and empowering the underdog." He has also worked on suicide prevention campaigns with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and The Jed Foundation.

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Selena Gomez

In her breakthrough role in "The Wizards of Waverly Place", Selena Gomez's fictional teenage character was invested with magic powers and had a magical life. In reality, she suffered from anxiety, panic attacks and depression, which worsened following her lupus diagnosis in her early 20s.

After taking a break from her career to work on her health, Gomez has worked to encourage others to address their issues, such as by releasing a documentary on her own struggles, "Selena Gomez: My Mind and Me", efforts that were recognized in 2022 with the Morton E. Ruderman Award in Inclusion.

"Mental Health impacts all of us, and we each have a role to play in ensuring that everyone – regardless of their background — has access to mental health services," said Gomez in a statement on receiving the award. "I hope by sharing my own story and using my platform, we can empower each other and more young people to address mental health."

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Olivia Rodrigo

Being in the entertainment spotlight can be tough to handle, particularly if you started out as a teen like Olivia Rodrigo, who is now using her pop-star position to shine a light on mental health, helping to destigmatize the need all teens may have for therapy.

After tweeting "can't wait to tell my therapist that ppl like the song" about her debut release "Driver's License", Rodrigo opened up major interest in why, as a teen, she had a therapist. But she quickly showed her understanding of how therapy can help young people, especially in the age of social media.

"It's hard to grow up on social media," said Rodrigo in an interview with Vogue Singapore in 2021. "Even now, I still struggle with it. You look at social media and see the perfect parts of people's lives and it's so hard not to compare your life to theirs." The message being, if I can benefit from therapy, so can you.

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Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex

A position of privilege can ease the stress in many of life's challenges, but the saying "we all have our problems" is just as true for royalty as anyone.

In true stiff-upper-lip British fashion, Prince Harry was stoic in the face of his mother Princess Diana's untimely death when he was just 12 years old, until his wife Meghan Markle encouraged him to start therapy. Since then, he has become a fervent mental health activist.

Based on the "core belief that our collective well being and mental health are paramount," Prince Harry co-founded The Archewell Foundation. He co-created the documentary series "The Me You Can't See" which highlights stories of mental health struggles and triumphs, and is the chief impact officer of BetterUp, a coaching and mental health startup.

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