# Famous people with DP/DR



## sneaker

Hi,

not sure of there is already a thread on this subject (I did do a quick search). I just wondered if anyone knew of any famous people/celebrities who suffer from DP/DR?

The only ones I know of are Harris Goldberg (director of 'Numb'), Jonathan Caouette (director of 'Tarnation') and Adam Duritz (singer from band Counting Crows). I know they have had it in the past, not sure if they have recovered or not.

Just something I was curious about 

There is an interesting article/interview about Adam Duritz and his DP (although I don't think it actually mentions the word depersonalization in it) in case anyone wanted to read it:

http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article.d ... 281eac____


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## Dreamland

I think that he's more depressed with dissociative symptoms as opposed to suffering from DPD. The fact that he connects, or connected, with the audience when he was performing and felt this sense of elation and joy doesn't sound like DP because you can't turn DP on and off. He isolated himself from his loved ones and friends but I think that it's the result of depression. He also lives in a world of denial and he has, or had, terrible coping skills.


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## DigestedRainbow

Chester Bennington from the band linkin Park. He sufferd from Dp, dont know if he's recoverd or not. But the band have a few old songs about dp like 'Crawling' and 'Numb'.


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## peachy

i think the guy from counting crows has been in and out of remission. i've read something he wrote about it once and it sounded like legit dp who knows. also, if you listen to some of his lyrics, you can hear it. listen to the song "colorblind" by the counting crows. beautiful song.


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## Matt210

Dreamland said:


> I think that he's more depressed with dissociative symptoms as opposed to suffering from DPD. The fact that he connects, or connected, with the audience when he was performing and felt this sense of elation and joy doesn't sound like DP because you can't turn DP on and off. He isolated himself from his loved ones and friends but I think that it's the result of depression. He also lives in a world of denial and he has, or had, terrible coping skills.


I have heard him say he was diagnosed with DP before. Think it is definitely DP.

You guys named the select few I knew, i'm sure there are more. There are plenty of musicians that I always wonder if they had it based on some of their lyrics that describe DP really well but have never investigated it.

Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel is one who I think suffers DP symptoms based on some interviews of his i've read and a great deal of his lyrics. Perhaps a reason I feel so close to his music.


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## Dreamland

I heard that Andy Partridge from XTC suffers from debilitating anxiety attacks, and it got so bad that the group had to stop performing live. XTC's music and lyrics always connected with me for some reason and I'm positive that their song Chalkhills and Children is inspired by a DP or a dissociative experience.

*****Andy getting a panic attack onstage in 1982 and walking off the stage***

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZrCL1aF ... re=related

I'm floating over strange land,
It's a soulless, sequined, showbiz moon.
I'm floating over strange land,
And then stranger still, there's no balloon.
But I'm getting higher,
Wafted up by fame's fickle fire 'til the...

Chalkhills and children,
Anchor my feet.
Chalkhills and children,
Bringing me back to earth,
Eternally and ever Ermine Street.
(Even I never know where I go when my eyes are closed.)

I'm skating over thin ice,
Upon blunted blades of metal soft.
I'm skating over thin ice,
While some nonesuch net holds me aloft.
But I'm getting higher,
Lifted up on lucks' circus wire 'til the...

Chalkhills and children,
Anchor my feet.
Chalkhills and children,
Bringing me back to earth,
Eternally and ever Ermine Street.

Even I never know where I go when my eyes are closed.
Even I never spied that the scenes were posed.
Even I never knew this is what I'd be.
Even eyes never mean that you're sure to see.

Still I'm getting higher,
Rolling up on three empty tyres, 'til the...

Chalkhills and children,
Anchor my feet.
Chalkhills and children,
Bringing me back to earth,
Eternally and ever Ermine Street.

I'm soaring over hushed crowds,
The reluctant cannonball it seems.
I'm soaring over hushed crowds,
I'm propelled up here by long dead dreams.

Still I'm getting higher,
Icarus regrets and retires puzzled.

Chalkhills and children,
Anchor my feet.
Chalkhills and children,
Oddly complete.
(Even I never know where I go when my eyes are all closed.)

Here I go again.


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## Matt210

Dreamland said:


> I know that Andy Partridge from XTC suffers from debilitating anxiety attacks, and it got so bad that the group had to stop performing live. XTC's music and lyrics always connected with me for some reason and I'm positive that their song Chalkhills and Children is inspired by a DP or a dissociative experience.
> 
> *****Andy getting a panic attack onstage in 1982 and walking off the stage***
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZrCL1aF ... re=related


I could see that. I haven't heard that song - but I have heard Skylarking and Black Sea and several songs on there suggest he's a guy whos been through his share of issues.


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## dreamingoflife

I read somewhere once that Billie joe the led singer of Green Day has it or maybe just anxiety issues but one of their songs "basket case" seems to fit dp a great deal so not 100% but I think I read that once.


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## Dreamland

Matt210 said:


> Dreamland said:
> 
> 
> 
> I know that Andy Partridge from XTC suffers from debilitating anxiety attacks, and it got so bad that the group had to stop performing live. XTC's music and lyrics always connected with me for some reason and I'm positive that their song Chalkhills and Children is inspired by a DP or a dissociative experience.
> 
> *****Andy getting a panic attack onstage in 1982 and walking off the stage***
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZrCL1aF ... re=related
> 
> 
> 
> I could see that. I haven't heard that song - but I have heard Skylarking and Black Sea and several songs on there suggest he's a guy whos been through his share of issues.
Click to expand...

I agree. This song is from Skylarking, and who in their right mind would feel compelled to write this song:


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## quarantined

DigestedRainbow said:


> Chester Bennington from the band linkin Park. He sufferd from Dp, dont know if he's recoverd or not. But the band have a few old songs about dp like 'Crawling' and 'Numb'.


oh wow, that's cool,
I didn't know that


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## Conjurus

I thought I noticed that about their songs. They seemed to fit how I felt too well- like the song _Somewhere I belong._


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## Guest

I'd say it is safe to assume that many celebrities may have suffered DP/DR at SOME time or have it now. Revealing a mental illness if one is an actor or well known singer with many demands on him/her can be refused work (this is unjustified) as they cannot be insured for work on long-term projects, tours, films, etc. Joey Pantoliano experienced this when he "came out of the closet" a few years ago with clinical depression.



Mauricio Sierra said:


> ?Depersonalization is a dissociative disorder, causing alteration in the perception or experience of the self and a detachment from reality. This is a fascinating and clinically relevant phenomenon neglected within psychiatry. *Far from being a rare condition, it can be as prevalent as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and frequently occurs in association with other neuropsychiatric conditions."* per Mauricio Sierra in his new medical text coming out in September of this year.


Depersonalization: A New Look at a Neglected Syndrome
There are many famous people who have suffered from various mental illnesses:

Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Buzz Aldrin, Virginia Woolf, Kurt Cobain, Charles Dickens, Sylvia Plath, Carrie Fisher, Lionel Aldridge, Leo Tolstoy, Ernest Hemmingway, Michelangelo, Maurice Bernard, Brian Wilson, Jimmy Piersall, John Keats, Vincent Van Gogh, Jane Pauley, Patty Duke, Beethoven, Issac Newton, Tennessee Williams, Mike Wallace, Terry Bradshaw, Tipper Gore, Judy Garland, Wiliam Styron, Richard Rhodes, Joey Pantoliano, Kay Redfield Jamison, John Nash, ...

Also Post Partum Depression: Marie Osmond who described severe DP and OBE experiences -- I heard her describe this in a TV interview but can't find it in her book though I really skimmed the thing, Britney Spears (bipolar). Carly Simon has panic attacks performing live and tends to record more than perform, Bob Dylan has anxiety issues.

Members of "No Kidding Me Too," entertainment industry folk working to eliminate mental health stigma. Not all have mental illness, but have friends/family with it:
Ed Begley, Jr.
Jeff Bridges
Delta Burke 
James Cameron
Christy Cashman
Rachel Leigh Cook
Vincent Curatola
Andy & Adrianne Davis
John Paul DeJoria
Dana Delany
Matt Dillon 
Robert Downey, Jr. 
Charles Dutton
Edie Falco	
Laurence Fishburne
Bill Fichtner
Patrick Flueger
Tom Fontana
Lisa & Gary Foster
Jamie Foxx
Dennis & Joanie Franz
John Gaeta
Devon Gearhart
Jason Gedrick
Tony Goldwyn	
Joe Greco	
Charles Grodin
Marcia Gay Harden
Hill Harper
Michael Imperioli
Al Joyner
Christine Lahti
Sarah Lancaster
Ang Lee
Joe Mantegna
Chris & Sherman Meloni 
Matthew Modine	
Bobby & Barbara Moresco
Pat O'Brien
Joe Pantoliano
Ron Perlman
Gloria Reuben
Fisher Stevens
Larenz Tate
Tim Van Patten
Wachowski Family
Sam Weisman
Montel Williams
Robin Williams
Terence Winter
Daphne Zuniga

Whoever wrote the song "Comfortably Numb" from Pink Floyd (favorite song of mine) -- sounds like DP to me?

The thing is, I KNOW DP is very common, either in an episodic form or chronic form and it comes with so many psychiatric illnesses and neurological illnesses it's ridiculous. There have been people on this board who are also performers who have DP/DR and I have received emails from my website from some professional musicians who have this (members of orchestras, etc.) Someone who used to post here is a professional musician and a music teacher.

I used to sing and act. I was so freakin' DP/DR all the time doing it. I was good. I was recognized for my talent, but I couldn't keep it up. It made performance impossible. I haven't touched my piano in 15 years. I want to try again. Or sing. My arms always feel "not mine" and my voice feels "not mine."

Bottom line is we are far from alone. Depending on an individual celebrity then can or cannot perform in this state. * I know Harris Goldberg still has chronic DP. (I know two friends of his but don't know him personally).*

Some people have these symptoms on and off, or they are less severe than others. Some have overcome them. These illnesses have destroyed careers as well.

I hate this with all my being. But we are NOT alone. And many accomplish a lot in spite of this.

Many in MANY jobs do not reveal their illnesses and many cannot work because of them.
D


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## Guest

Forgot a few recent messes, Anna Nicole Smith, River Phoenix and Heath Ledger. Generally, self-medication with rec drugs and many medications indicate emotional problems. All of these individuals are deceased. Oh, Marilyn Monroe. The list is endless. I love Craig Ferguson. He is 15 years sober. Why he was an alcoholic for much of his life is an interesting question.

But what is odd is that rec drugs and regular drugs can bring on DP. But there are many with mental illness who have DP not precipitated by any of these things.

And as for mental illness or DP giving one a special perspective on life ... I don't know. For those born with it, perhaps some have common personality traits that accompany the illness, or work in jobs that are accepting of eccentricities. But there are many NON-famous people who are equally sick and do not have special talents or insights.


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## Dreamland

@Dreamer

Comfortably Numb is a song about a heroin trip, but I can understand how one can interpret it as a DP experience. If you want to listen to a great song about heroin addiction, or any addiction for that matter, listen to Dr. Wu by Steely Dan. I like the metaphors in that song by referring to heroin as Katy, some temptress who lies and lures you into her web of deception, and Dr. Wu. is his therapist who apparently succumbs to the temptation of heroin as well.


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## Guest

Dreamland said:


> @Dreamer
> 
> Comfortably Numb is a song about a heroin trip, but I can understand how one can interpret it as a DP experience. If you want to listen to a great song about heroin addiction, or any addiction for that matter, listen to Dr. Wu by Steely Dan. I like the metaphors in that song by referring to heroin as Katy, some temptress who lies and lures you into her web of deception, and Dr. Wu. is his therapist who apparently succumbs to the temptation of heroin as well.


Interesting, I love Steely Dan (and that sax -- one of my favorite instruments). See I would have never caught onto the drug references had I not seen the images in the video. It's all a sort of secret language/metaphors ... many songs. And yes, I figured Comfortably Numb was about drugs, but man it fits in with DP.

I still can't figure "Devil in the Wishing Well" -- Five for Fighting, or even "Viva La Vida" -- Coldplay. There are so many interpretations.

But well, I'm not "comfortably numb", I'm "UNcomfortably numb." But I love, "There is no pain you are receding. A distant ship's smoke on the horizon. You are only coming through in waves, your lips move, but I can't hear what you're saying. When I was a child I had a fever. My hands felt like two balloons .... " etc.

Cheers.
D
Sorry if a tad off topic there.
Interesting how we all have songs that conjure up our experience. God I love music.


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## Dreamland

Dreamer* said:


> Dreamland said:
> 
> 
> 
> @Dreamer
> 
> Comfortably Numb is a song about a heroin trip, but I can understand how one can interpret it as a DP experience. If you want to listen to a great song about heroin addiction, or any addiction for that matter, listen to Dr. Wu by Steely Dan. I like the metaphors in that song by referring to heroin as Katy, some temptress who lies and lures you into her web of deception, and Dr. Wu. is his therapist who apparently succumbs to the temptation of heroin as well.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Interesting, I love Steely Dan (and that sax -- one of my favorite instruments). See I would have never caught onto the drug references had I not seen the images in the video. It's all a sort of secret language/metaphors ... many songs. And yes, I figured Comfortably Numb was about drugs, but man it fits in with DP.
> 
> I still can't figure "Devil in the Wishing Well" -- Five for Fighting, or even "Viva La Vida" -- Coldplay. There are so many interpretations.
> 
> But well, I'm not "comfortably numb", I'm "UNcomfortably numb." But I love, "There is no pain you are receding. A distant ship's smoke on the horizon. You are only coming through in waves, your lips move, but I can't hear what you're saying. When I was a child I had a fever. My hands felt like two balloons .... " etc.
> 
> Cheers.
> D
> Sorry if a tad off topic there.
> Interesting how we all have songs that conjure up our experience. God I love music.
Click to expand...

Since I brought Steely Dan into the equation, "Any Major Dude Will Tell You" is a must listen song for anyone who suffers from DP, depression, or any other kind of hardship because it deals with this notion that everything is transient and temporary, so try not to dwell on this belief that you're never going to get out of your funk. "Any Major Dude" can be a metaphor for God, religion, a friend, teacher, and I like the "when the demon is at your door, in the morning in won't be there no more" part because it is so true........suffering doesn't last forever.

The part where he talks about " when your super fine mind has come undone" speaks volumes to anyone who feels lucid one day only to be faced with the harrowing world of DP the next day....out of the blue.

check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm0Iq5eb ... re=related


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## edward_morden

Dreamer* said:


> Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Buzz Aldrin, Virginia Woolf, Kurt Cobain, Charles Dickens, Sylvia Plath, Carrie Fisher, Lionel Aldridge, Leo Tolstoy, Ernest Hemmingway, *Michelangelo*, Maurice Bernard, Brian Wilson, Jimmy Piersall, John Keats, Vincent Van Gogh, Jane Pauley, Patty Duke, Beethoven, Issac Newton, Tennessee Williams, Mike Wallace, Terry Bradshaw, Tipper Gore, Judy Garland, Wiliam Styron, Richard Rhodes, Joey Pantoliano, Kay Redfield Jamison, John Nash, ...


Could you please post the sources for Michelangelo... who does that say that Michelangelo had that? Im very interested in that. Also Beethoven and Issac Newton would be very interesting but Michelangelo would be more important. Thx!


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## backagain

billy joel from green day said so in an interview that he thought he was going crazy but it turns out they had a name for it called depersonalization. It was an interview for vh1 or something where they were talking about his teen years and drug use


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## Jaybird

Dreamland said:


> I think that he's more depressed with dissociative symptoms as opposed to suffering from DPD. The fact that he connects, or connected, with the audience when he was performing and felt this sense of elation and joy doesn't sound like DP because you can't turn DP on and off. He isolated himself from his loved ones and friends but I think that it's the result of depression. He also lives in a world of denial and he has, or had, terrible coping skills.


I am curious if this would be evidence preclusive to DPD? To me the issue I struggle with is the sense of washing to consciousness and then fading. Almost as though it were cyclical. During those moments of cognitive awareness, would DPD make connection and elation unobtainable?


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## squanto

Mr. Jones always struck me as a song a guy with a dissociative disorder. Makes sense now.


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