Kristen Bell opens up about depression

Actress Kristen Bell has revealed that she suffered from depression and anxiety from a young age.

The 35-year-old actress, who has daughters Lincoln (3) and Delta (16 months) with husband Dax Shepard, has admitted that her "bubbly" personality stems from a desperation for people to like her, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

Speaking on the talk show "Off Camera with Sam Jones", Bell said: "I'm extremely co-dependent. I shatter a little bit when I think people don't like me. That's part of why I lead with kindness and I compensate by being very bubbly all the time because it really hurts my feelings when I know I'm not liked".

"And I know that's not very healthy and I fight it all the time," she added.

The problems run through the "Frozen" actress' family and she was advised early on by her mother, a nurse, that she could be susceptible to a "serotonin imbalance" and gave her tips on how to combat the feelings of depression.

"(My mom's) a nurse and she had the wherewithal to recognise that in herself when she was feeling it and when I was 18 said, 'If you start to feel like you are twisting things around you, and you feel like there is no sunlight around you, and you are paralysed with fear, this is what it is and here's how you can help yourself'".

While she feels there is still a stigma attached to mental illness, Bell insists she isn't ashamed to ask for help if she needs it and still takes medication to keep her depression and anxiety at bay.

"If you do decide to go on a prescription to help yourself, understand that the world wants to shame you for that, but in the medical community, you would never deny a diabetic his insulin. Ever," she said.

--IANS

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