Super hero film "Guardians of the Galaxy's" Nova Prime, Glenn Close, is a real life hero. Close, who has been an active champion against the stigma of mental illness since 2010, recently joined forces with Mashable to set up the #MindfulAllies mental health campaign. The #MindfulAllies campaign aims to bring a healthy, practical awareness to the reality of mental illness.
Mashable says the #MindfulAllies campaign is a week-long feature of stories from real people about their experiences in dealing with mental illness. The hope is to initiate an avenue for people who have mental illness, or who have loved ones who suffer from a mental health condition, to open up and learn about their situation.
Close's is the first story to go up in the #MindfulAllies campaign pages. "Over multiple generations, various members of my family and extended family have been impacted by: serious depression, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder and bipolar disorder," Close wrote. "If talking openly about something as scary and misunderstood as mental illness is not accepted, tragedies can happen."
"I have learned that I have been living with mild depression for probably most of my life," the actress revealed. "When I couldn't concentrate, overwhelmed by the simplest tasks - wheels spinning - I thought I had some form of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Upon being tested, I was told that I was depressed."
According to People, the "Guardians of the Galaxy" actress believes that by opening communications regarding mental illness, half the battle is won. Close was inspired to begin her advocacy by her own sister Jessie, whose struggle with mental illness took 50 years before being properly diagnosed as bipolar disorder.
A few years before that Jessie's son, Calen, was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder. Close, Jessie and Calen have since been sharing their stories publicly to encourage those who may be in the same boat.
In 2010, Close co-founded the Bring Change 2 Mind organization, which hopes to begin the conversation for afflicted individuals and their loved ones. It also aims to help end the harmful and hurtful discrimination from which people with mental illness suffer.
"We have learned so much over the years," Close shared. "One prominent lesson is that personal stories are incredibly powerful. It's like opening a floodgate. No one should feel alone or ashamed. We are all in this together."
