When you really think about it, a lot can happen in the course of the year. In the realm of health news, this idea is ever-present, with a veritable avalanche of news, studies, health trends and important medical information being reported to us on a daily basis. But another equally important aspect of the health news cycle is the information that comes to us from trusted sources speaking from first-hand experiences, like celebrities who are raising awareness about their own important health journeys that, in turn, inform us and raise the public’s consciousness of a specific health issue. That, in short, happened quite a lot in 2018.
Celebs we know and love like Gabrielle Union, Chrissy Teigen, Ryan Reynolds and Amy Schumer all came forward at various points this year to get real about their various health concerns, battles or practices as they understand them from their own experiences. In turn, we wanted to round up all the times these beloved celebs got real about their health so, as we wrap up 2018, we can reflect on their candor and perhaps learn something in the process too.
Shannon Miller
Olympian Shannon Miller spoke out on the importance of women listening to their bodies and fighting to be heard on health matters during her time at the #BlogHer18 Health conference in January.
Chrissy Metz
Actor Chrissy Metz revealed in a March interview with People magazine she was forced to endure upsetting weigh-ins as a child and how it shaped her views of health and ultimately toughened her to negative criticisms about her body.
Dwayne Johnson
Box office king Dwayne Johnson got vulnerable in an important way during an April interview with U.K. outlet Express about his struggles with depression.
Mariah Carey
In April, Mariah Carey revealed she is living with and getting treatment for bipolar disorder. The singer opened up to People magazine about her journey, even describing how she is handling medication, saying, “I’m actually taking medication that seems to be pretty good. It’s not making me feel too tired or sluggish or anything like that. Finding the proper balance is what is most important.”
Ryan Reynolds
Another notable celebrity health moment came in May, when Ryan Reynolds spoke to The New York Times about his lifetime spent dealing with anxiety: “I have anxiety, I’ve always had anxiety. Both in the lighthearted ‘I’m anxious about this’ kind of thing, and I’ve been to the depths of the darker end of the spectrum, which is not fun.”
Meghan Markle
While unable to personally comment on it, Meghan (née Markle), Duchess of Sussex, broke with royal tradition in an important way in May in her biography on the British monarchy’s website, which said she was a supporter of organizations and people working toward international menstrual equity.
Selma Blair
In May, Selma Blair opened up on Instagram about her quiet journey with managing and treating her depression and anxiety.
Demi Lovato
After a scary overdose in July, Demi Lovato remained honest with the public about why she needed to take a step back from her career in order to focus on her sobriety, a topic she has been open about for years.
Beyoncé
Beyoncé opened up in her interview with Vogue for the September issue about dealing with toxemia, a little-discussed but very serious concern for pregnant women, while she was preparing to give birth to twins Sir and Rumi.
Maria Menounos
During her appearance at the #BlogHer18 Creators Summit in August, Maria Menounos told us this about getting diagnosed with a brain tumor — “I’m a completely different person, and [before getting diagnosed with the brain tumor,] I didn’t know it, but happiness existed.”
Chrissy Teigen
Chrissy Teigen’s opinions on eating placenta to avoid postpartum depression caught our attention in September (and they’re worth reading too).
Eva Longoria
When we spoke exclusively with Eva Longoria in October, she opened up about how deeply affected she was speaking with women battling metastatic cancer and why it was important to raise awareness about it.
Cobie Smulders
Ovarian cancer survivor Cobie Smulders opened up about her history with the illness and what actually saved her life during her battle when she spoke exclusively with SheKnows in October.
Gabrielle Union
#BlogHer alum Gabrielle Union got very honest about her history of miscarriages and how IVF helped her and husband Dwyane Wade welcome their daughter Kaavia in November.
Amy Schumer
While pregnant with her first child, Amy Schumer revealed in November that she battled hyperemesis gravidarum a rare but serious pregnancy concern that affects less than 2 percent of individuals.
Amanda Bynes
After years out of the spotlight, Amanda Bynes reemerged in late November to give a candid interview with Paper magazine about her battle with drug addiction and how she is staying sober today.
Jameela Jamil
Actor Jameela Jamil vehemently spoke out against the practice of airbrushing in December, saying it is a “crime against our gender” and arguing that it should be banned because of its negative and harmful effects on women when it comes to body image.
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