Munn and Teigen open up in the wake of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain's deaths.
Olivia Munn and Chrissy Teigen are opening up about their struggles with mental health.
On Friday, following the apparent suicides of both famed designer Kate Spade and chef Anthony Bourdain this week, Munn and Teigen took to social media to share their own experiences with anxiety and depression.
"I have lived with anxiety and sporadic bouts of depression for most of my adult life. 10 years ago I tackled it, learned to fully understand it and haven’t felt the dark depths of depression in about a decade," Munn wrote on both Twitter and Instagram. "But before that, thoughts of suicide crossed my mind more than a few times."
Munn continued: "For those who don’t understand depression, when someone is in that place it’s not because they want to die ... it’s because the ongoing, relentless darkness is too painful to endure anymore. You don’t have to suffer from anxiety and depression to feel that low. Something very sad or traumatic can happen to you just once to bring about that feeling of despair."
Alongside an extensive list of international suicide hotlines, Munn, 37, urged her followers to understand that "suicide is not the right choice."
"Please don’t hesitate. A phone call could change everything," the actress said. "Even if you think you don’t want to get involved or don’t want your friend to be mad at you or if you’re the one suffering and don’t want to be talked out of it or feel insecure about asking for help. Those are temporary consequences. With suicide, there’s no do overs. Please try every single option you can before making a choice that cannot be undone."
Teigen, though, admitted that, while a suicide prevention hotline is helpful for some people, it would not have worked for her.
"In my deepest, darkest post-partum depression, I would have personally never called a phone number," the 32-year-old said. "If John or my doctor never reached out, I would have never even known. It really can be a lonely hole. Watch the people you love and don’t be afraid to speak up."
Teigen also addressed some misconceptions that come with postpartum depression.
"I just always thought PPD was the feeling of wanting to harm your children, and I never ever thought that way," Teigen said. "Big cases like Susan Smith made it seem like THAT was PPD. I was just so deeply sad with myself and feeling worthless and useless and helpless."
Munn and Teigen's important words come on the heels of Bourdain's apparent suicide on Friday morning. CNN confirmed that the 61-year-old was found dead in a French hotel room by his friend and fellow chef, Eric Ripert. This comes just days after Spade took her own life at age 55.
If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
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