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Kristen Bell's advice to her younger self about depression is a must hear for everyone

"We're all just human. And you can do it."

Child Mind Institute/Youtube

Actress Kristen Bell speaks up about coping with depression.

Actress Kristen Bell lives with anxiety and depression.

Maybe you wouldn't have guessed it scanning through her work on IMDb. She's the voice behind Anna in "Frozen," after all; the star of a former hit show called "The Good Place," for goodness sake.

Those seem like, um ... happy roles. Right?

That's why Bell is speaking out again about her mental illness.

The media we consume — on our phones, in the magazine aisle, even in Bell's own delightful TV series and films — rarely convey an accurate depiction of reality. And Bell is advising anyone else living with mental illness not to be fooled.

In a video produced by the Child Mind Institute, Bell opened up about what she'd like to tell her younger self.

"What I would say to my younger self is don’t be fooled by this game of perfection that humans play," she said. "Because Instagram and magazines and TV shows — they strive for a certain aesthetic, and everything looks so beautiful, and people seem like they don’t have any problems. But everyone’s human."

She continued (emphasis added):

"Everyone has problems. Everyone feels yucky on the inside sometimes. And you deserve to feel just as beautiful on the days that you wear no makeup, and the days you don’t shower, and the days that you feel like you’re depressed. And you have an obligation to take care of yourself from the inside out, because that’s how you can truly feel beautiful.”

In recent years, Bell has spoken up candidly about her own mental health in hopes it can benefit others.

The actress was diagnosed with anxiety and depression when she was 18 years old. As she explained to "Off Camera with Sam Jones" in 2016, her mom had been the one to fill her in on their family's history with mental illness.

Bell started taking medication to help — and has no qualms about it. "I still take it today; I have no shame in that,” Bell explained. "You would never deny a diabetic his insulin, but for some reason when someone needs a serotonin inhibitor, they're immediately ‘crazy’ or something."

Her anxiety and depression, Bell noted, is probably the biggest differentiation between her own life and the characters she portrays on screen.

Depression and anxiety affect millions of Americans of all ages. But despite their prevalence, stigma surrounding mental illness — dissuading people from reaching out, for instance, or shaming them for taking medication — remains a major barrier stopping people from accessing the resources they need.

Bell wants every kid to know they deserve to feel better.

"Never feel embarrassed or ashamed about who you are," Bell advises viewers in her new PSA. "Never feel embarrassed or ashamed about the uniqueness that is you, because there are people out there to help. And we're all just human. And you can do it."

Learn more about depression and anxiety — and access the help you or your child deserve — at the Child Mind Institute.

children, depression, mind, mental health

Child Mind Institute is an organization changing children's lives.

childmind.org

The Child Mind Institute is an independent nonprofit dedicated to transforming the lives of children struggling with mental health and learning disorders.

This story originally appeared on 5.2.2018

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Family

'Judge me if you want': Kristen Bell on why she allows kids to drink non-alcoholic beer

What do you think?

via Hisakazu Watanabe/Flickr and Myles Kalus Anak Jihem/Wikimedia Commons

A frothy glass of non-alcoholic beer and Kristen Bell

Every family has its own rules regarding children and alcohol. Some believe that allowing their kids to drink before the age of 21 can lead to severe problems and have stringent zero-tolerance policies. Others allow their kids to have the occasional wine at dinner because they believe being too restrictive could make drinking more desirable, so it’s best to take a casual approach.

What do the experts say?

Psychology Today says that a review of 13 studies concludes that young people are less likely to develop alcohol problems if their parents have stricter rules about its use. “On current evidence, parents should be advised not to allow children to use alcohol,” the meta-analysis concludes.

On Monday, July 24, Kristen Bell put her spin on the age-old debate on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” by admitting that her older daughter occasionally drinks non-alcoholic beer. Bell and her husband, Dax Shepard, are the parents of two daughters, Lincoln, 10, and Delta, 8.

The conversation arose after Clarkson noted that her daughter accidentally drank champagne as a baby.

“My kids have ordered non-alcoholic beers at restaurants before, which sounds insane if you don’t know,” Bell admitted.

Lincoln developed a fondness for non-alcoholic brews at a young age because her father would drink one when the family went on walks.

“He’s a recovering addict, but he likes non-alcoholic beer, so he’d pop one open, he’d have [our oldest daughter] on his chest, and we’d walk and look at the sunset,” she recalled. “As a baby, she was pawing at it, and sometimes she’d suck on the rim of it. So I think it feels to her like something special, something daddy, something family.”

Lincoln’s taste for non-alcoholic beer has made for a few uncomfortable moments for her mom and dad.

“We’ve been at restaurants where she’s said, ‘Do you have any non-alcoholic beer?’ and I’m like...maybe we just keep that for home time,” Bell continued. “But then I’m also sort of like, you can judge me if you want. I’m not doing anything wrong. Like that’s your problem.”

Czech researchers found parents should avoid giving their children non-alcoholic beer because they’ll become accustomed to the bitter, hoppy taste, which could lead to abuse later in life.

Bell and Shepard’s casual approach to non-alcoholic beverages feels like an extension of their overall parenting philosophy. "I hate the word 'taboo.' I think it should be stricken from the dictionary," Bell told Real Simple earlier this year. "There should be no topic that's off the table for people to talk about."

Shepard has been open with his daughters about the dangers of alcoholism.

"One of the cuter moments was, I wanna say, my oldest daughter was 3—back when my daughters really wanted to be with me 24 hours a day—and she said, 'Where are you going?' I said, 'I'm going to AA,'" Shepard recalled. "She said, 'Why do you have to go?' I go, 'Because I'm an alcoholic and if I don't go there, then I'll drink, and I'll be a terrible dad.'"

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Joy

Win $1,000 and a personal message from Kristen Bell with This Saves Lives giveaway

We're so excited about This Saves Lives bars hitting Costco, we're holding a nationwide giveaway. Here’s how to enter.

Upworthy/Instagram

This Saves Lives is on a mission to end child hunger.

True

When you become a parent, your grocery bill starts to grow right along with your kids. During growth spurts, the amount of food that kids consume can be mind-blowing, and many parents find themselves trying to balance keeping their kids fed well, keeping their bank account from dwindling and keeping their time in the kitchen to a minimum.

For millions of parents, Costco is a lifesaver on this front. The wholesale club is known for huge warehouses full of bulk buys and fair prices that make feeding a family a bit less daunting. (For real, who can resist a humongous rotisserie chicken for $4.99?)

One way Costco shines for busy families is in the grab-and-go snack department, which is why we’re thrilled to announce that This Saves Lives Kids Snack Bars are now being stocked at Costco stores across the Southeastern United States. For $15.49, you can get a 24-count box of This Saves Lives Kids Snack Bars, which includes 12 S’mores Blast and 12 Chocolate Chip “Dino”mite flavors.

What makes This Saves Lives Kids Snack Bars special? For one, they have the "Yum!" factor kids want without the junk parents don't. They're allergen-friendly (no nuts, gluten, dairy or soy, so safe for schools), and they contain a full serving of fruits and veggies (without tasting like it, seriously). Plus, in addition to being delicious, nutritious and convenient, each This Saves Lives box purchased helps feed children facing malnutrition and hunger around the world. As part of the launch at Costco Southeast, This Saves Lives is supporting No Kid Hungry to help provide 60,000 meals to children in the Southeast.

Nothing but wins all around.

To celebrate this milestone, we are announcing a nationwide giveaway with a chance to win:

Prizes: 50 winners selected at random will receive a This Saves Lives sample box.

Grand Prize: One lucky winner will win a $1,000 grocery gift card (via Visa gift card) PLUS a personal message from actress Kristen Bell.

Enter the giveaway between now and March 14, 2023. There are two options to enter:

OPTION A

Follow @upworthy @thisbar and @nokidhungry
Like this post and tag three friends in the comments

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Upworthy (@upworthy)

OPTION B:

Share a post on Instagram in support of the movement to end child hunger and include your This Saves Lives snacks, if you have them.
Tag @upworthy @thisbar and @nokidhungry. @Upworthy will reshare our favorite posts. (DM us your post if you have a private account.)

That’s it! If you don't live near a store that sells This Saves Lives bars (check store locator here), you can order them online or through Instacart. With Upworthy and This Saves Lives teaming up with Costco to make families' lives easier and fight child hunger, everyone wins. And until March 14, everyone has the chance to win even bigger. What would you do with a $1,000 grocery shopping spree? What would you ask Kristen Bell to say in a custom video recording for you?

Kids need healthy snacks and parents need convenience, so share this exciting announcement – or even better – grab your box of This Saves Lives bars and post a photo for a chance to make the shopping you’d do anyway pay off even more.

Visit thissaveslives.com/grocery-giveaway for more information on the giveaway, and happy snacking!

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Family

Kristen Bell's 'honest parenting approach' could help other parents.

Parents sometimes withhold honest information to protect their kids, but that may not be the best approach.

commons.wikimedia.org

Kristen Bell's honest parenting approach could help other parents.

Let's be honest here for a minute.

There are tough conversations that are just plain ol' uncomfortable for parents to have with their children. Some parents would rather deflect difficult questions or give a very made-up, childlike answer. For example, a parent might tell a child babies come from storks or they give them out at the hospital, just to avoid the topic of sex.

The thought is usually that the child is too young to know actual information about the difficult topic, so in a fit of panic, the parent makes something up. But as a licensed therapist with a degree in child development, I can tell you kids typically only ask questions they're ready to hear the answer to. In fact, they're really good at letting you know when you over-explain because they'll either change the subject or become obviously disinterested.

Actress Kristen Bell made headlines recently for her approach to discussing difficult topics with her children. She's honest with her kids, even about their father's addiction and recovery. Bell appeared in the magazine Real Simple and explained that there's nothing off the table to discuss with her two daughters, Delta, 8, and Lincoln, 9 1/2.

"I know it's shocking, but I talk to my kids about drugs, and the fact that their daddy is an addict and he's in recovery, and we talk about sex," she says. "There are all these 'hard topics' that don't have to be if you give the person on the other end your vulnerability and a little bit of credit," Bell told Real Simple. Being completely honest with children can be shocking to some parents, Bell noted in the interview.

Certainly, complete honesty comes with the caveat of delivering the information in an age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate way. But why do parents shy away from honesty when it comes to talking to kids about hard topics? Well, in my experience, it's often because it makes the parent uncomfortable or they're so worried about getting it wrong that they put off answering, thus creating anxiety-inducing anticipation.

Parents don't want to accidentally mess up their kids and they also don't want to expose them to things they don't think they're ready for. And sometimes things pop up unexpectedly that parents simply don't have a choice about when it comes to having hard conversations.

"There are many things that children don't yet understand, and exposing them to complex topics early on can help both their emotional and intellectual development," Alicia Robins from the Institute for Childhood Preparedness wrote. Being truthful also helps encourage children to be open and honest in return because there's been a reciprocal exchange of information and feelings from an early age.

A 2022 study of Indigenous families found that being honest with children created more resilience, quality relationships and overall life satisfaction. But when looking at parents who practiced less open communication, including lying, children were less likely to be resilient and had an increased risk of trauma symptoms in adolescence.

While experts aren't saying you should tell your children all the nitty gritty details of topics, they are saying that age-appropriate honesty is best, even when the topics are hard.

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Podcast

Upworthy Weekly podcast: Stranger danger, kids ask God, inner monologues

What are Alison and Tod talking about this week? Kids ask God the big questions, a mom has the perfect way to deal with stranger danger, and does everyone have an inner monologue?

Upworthy Weekly podcast for November 12, 2022.

What are Alison and Tod talking about this week? Kids asked God the biggest questions and we have the answers. A woman is confused about whether she has an inner monologue and a mom shares the perfect way to deal with stranger danger.

Plus, Upworthy joins the fight against world hunger and we try to make sense of Elon Musk.

Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or iHeart Radio.

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A very special announcement from Kristen Bell and Upworthy: Let’s end child hunger

Our mission just got a whole lot bigger.

Kristen Bell announces This Saves Lives new partnership with Upworthy.

True

Every day, Upworthy shares stories that spotlight the very best of humanity. But if there’s one cause that unites us all, it’s solving child hunger.

In a recent poll of our followers, we found that child hunger is the issue they care about most. So today, we’re doing something about it. We’ve joined forces with humanitarian snack brand This Saves Lives to end child hunger.

This Saves Lives co-founder, actress Kristen Bell.

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This Saves Lives was founded in 2013 with the goal of ending early childhood severe acute malnutrition. Its solution is simple, for every snack you purchase, they give life-saving food to a child in need. This Saves Lives has already donated over 30 million packets of lifesaving food in Haiti, Guatemala, Kenya and beyond. We hope our new partnership works to feed millions more.

“Will you join us? It’s easy and delicious.” — Kristen Bell.

Join us and explore delicious snacks that give back at thissaveslives.com/doinggoodtogether.

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Science

Kristen Bell shows you how Lego will conveniently donate your used bricks to kids in need

Lego does it again - thank you Kristen!

via Kristen Bell/Instagram

Kristen Bell explains the Lego Replay program.

Plastic Lego bricks are so durable they can be played with forever. But eventually, most kids grow out of their Lego phase and parents are stuck with a big bucket of bricks that eventually makes its way to the garbage.

Studies show that it can take up to 1,300 years for a Lego brick to decompose.

However, most people don’t know that when their kids outgrow their Legos, the company will gladly take them back and send them to needy children who can’t wait to play with them. This amazing gesture took actress Kristen Bell by surprise and she had to tell the world about it on Instagram.

How to recyle Legos

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“I just figured out that you can donate Legos, back to Lego,” “The Good Place” actress told her 15.2 followers on Instagram. Then she showed how easy it is to print a free shipping label on Lego’s website and send the bricks to kids who really want them.

“We work closely with multiple donation partners who proudly give your much-loved LEGO bricks new life,” the toymaker said on its website. “The children who receive the bricks continue to play with them, creating endlessly.”

The program is a win-win-win for everyone involved. Parents get rid of their boxes of toys, kids in need have something to play with and the planet gets a break from all the plastic.

“I am obsessed with recycling. I’m always looking for some new way to reuse anything and everything around my house,” Bell wrote in her post. “I do love when companies make it really easy. Nice work, @lego!”

From Your Site Articles

kristen bell

Kristen Bell's advice to her younger self about depression is a must hear for everyone

"We're all just human. And you can do it."

In a video produced by the Child Mind Institute, Bell opened up about what she'd like to tell her younger self.

In recent years, Bell has spoken up candidly about her own mental health in hopes it can benefit others.

'Judge me if you want': Kristen Bell on why she allows kids to drink non-alcoholic beer

What do you think?

Win $1,000 and a personal message from Kristen Bell with This Saves Lives giveaway

We're so excited about This Saves Lives bars hitting Costco, we're holding a nationwide giveaway. Here’s how to enter.

Kristen Bell's 'honest parenting approach' could help other parents.

Parents sometimes withhold honest information to protect their kids, but that may not be the best approach.

Upworthy Weekly podcast: Stranger danger, kids ask God, inner monologues

What are Alison and Tod talking about this week? Kids ask God the big questions, a mom has the perfect way to deal with stranger danger, and does everyone have an inner monologue?

A very special announcement from Kristen Bell and Upworthy: Let’s end child hunger

Our mission just got a whole lot bigger.

Kristen Bell shows you how Lego will conveniently donate your used bricks to kids in need

Lego does it again - thank you Kristen!

How to recyle Legos

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Can't comprehend the 4th dimension? Carl Sagan explains it with an apple in this classic clip.

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