Famous Quotes On Depression: Bruce Springsteen And 6 Other Celebrities Battling Mental Illness

Being the Boss does not shield you from the trials of depression.

Bruce Springsteen, the iconic 66-year-old rock star still putting on four-hour shows, details his struggles with depression over his career in his new autobiography, according to media reports Tuesday. "Born to Run," his highly anticipated memoir named after the songwriter's breakthrough third album and most famous song, will be released on Sep. 23. It describes his turning to therapy and antidepressants to cope, as well as how performing live was his best form of mediation.

"One of the points I'm making in the book is that, whoever you've been and wherever you've been, it never leaves you," Springsteen wrote, according to a preview in People Magazine. "I always picture it as a car. All your selves are in it. And a new self can get in, but the old selves can't ever get out. The important thing is, who's got their hands on the wheel at any given moment?"

Springsteen notes that one of his biggest fears was how much of his father's depression he might inherit.

"You don't know the illness's parameters," Springsteen wrote. "Can I get sick enough to where I become a lot more like my father than I thought I might?"

An estimated 350 million people in the world suffer from depression, according to the World Health Organization, and Springsteen is far from the first artist to open up about his or her struggles — artists are statistically more likely to suffer from depression. Here are 6 more artists who shared their stories:

1. Brian Wilson

The genius songwriter behind The Beach Boys is one of the most famous musicians to battle depression and bipolar disorder. Wilson's fight with mental illness led him to a nervous breakdown in the aftermath his band's seminal 1966 album "Pet Sounds." Wilson has opened up about his battle in multiple interviews and Bill Pohlad's 2014 film, "Love & Mercy," chronicles the period in Wilson's life after the release of "Pet Sounds."

2. Ray Davies

Another one of Springsteen's contemporaries, The Kinks frontman's struggles with depression and bipolar disorder led to a tense working relationship with his brothers in the band, something Davies has discussed in multiple interviews.

"I’d just come offstage and sunk a bottle of downers because I wanted to kill myself," he said in an interview. "Then I changed my mind. I was dressed as a dandy, it might have looked like a clown to everyone else. But even clowns can have bad days."

3. Demi Lovato

Pop singer Demi Lovato gave a very candid interview to Refinery 29 last year discussing her battles with depression and eating disorders.

"I had heard people joking about bipolar as if it's that one minute you're sad, one minute you're happy. I was worried about the diagnosis at first; I didn't want anyone to think badly of me," she said.

4. Kristen Bell

Actress Kristen Bell might play very happy-go-lucky characters in movies, but the 36-year-old actress has fought depression for most of her life. She discussed her struggles in a May interview with Off Camera with Sam Jones.

"If you decide to go on a prescription to help yourself, understand the world wants to shame you for that," Bell told Jones.

5. Selena Gomez

Pop star Selena Gomez opened up about her depression in a 2014 interview with V Magazine following a year in which she had checked herself into rehab for exhaustion and anxiety. She had been touring heavily while coping with a high profile breakup from fellow pop star Justin Bieber.

"It just causes a lot of anxiety. There were a few months where I was a little depressed, where I wouldn't leave [the house] as much," she admitted.

6. Kid Cudi

Rapper Kid Cudi has never been shy about talking about his battles with depression. The 32-year-old musician has frequently covered mental illness in his music and has been candid about depression in interviews.

"I thought about how much of a struggle it has been the past eight years, to be in the news and pretend to be happy when, really, I was living a nightmare," Cudi told Rap-Up in April. "But I can go anywhere, whenever I want. My daughter is in one of the best private schools in the nation. I have everything I ever dreamed of in terms of stability. But I hadn’t been living that reality, because depression was f------ me up. So this year I chose to be happy. I just woke up."