While appearing as a guest co-host on The Talk this week, Michelle Williams opened up about her struggles with depression, which began when she was a teenager and reached a peak right as Destiny's Child were at the top of the charts.
Michelle recalled that while she was in her twenties and at the height of Destiny's Child's fame, she thought: "I'm in one of the top-selling female groups of all time, suffering with depression.
"When I disclosed it to our manager [Mathew Knowles, Beyoncé's father] at the time, bless his heart, he was like, 'You all just signed a multi-million dollar deal. You're about to go on tour. What do you have to be depressed about?'"
At its height, Michelle shares that her depression, which she dismissed at the time as "maybe I'm just tired", grew "to the point where I was suicidal… and wanted out [of Destiny's Child]".
But as she grew older, she began to take serious stock of her mental health.
"I think at the age of 25, had I had a name to what I was feeling at the time, I would have disclosed that 'I've been suffering from depression'," she added.
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After the show, Michelle tweeted: "Thank you @TheTalkCBS for being a safe place to talk about #depression #mentalhealthawareness!! Don't be afraid to reach out for help!"
Michelle later posted a moving message on her Instagram account, from a woman named Christine who reached out to thank the singer for speaking about her mental health. It read: "I'm not sure who reads this, but I am so amazed and heartened by Michelle's courage of discussing her mental health.
"Michelle, you are beautiful, strong, kind, creative, and such a gift to this world. Honestly, before today, I probably couldn't pick you out of the crowd - I'm old! But you being open about your struggles knocks the stigmas down a flight of stairs! Your courage makes the next generation confident to take care of their health and spirit in all ways.
"Michelle, you've made a difference in this world that few people could dream of! You're incredible!"
In response, Michelle posted: "I truly didn't know what to expect by discussing depression and how dark it was for me! Letters like this comfort me letting me know it's ok to CONTINUE sharing my story that I actually share with millions of others! Lord I thank you for this opportunity to use my platform to save lives and let people know they're not odd, crazy, WEAK, or alone.....they just need help and guidance!! 💕":
Readers affected by the issues raised in this story are encouraged to contact Samaritans free on 116 123 (www.samaritans.org) or Mind on 0300 123 3393 (www.mind.org.uk). Readers in the US are encouraged to visit mentalhealth.gov or the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
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