Al Pacino is a well-known Hollywood actor. The actor has been in the business for about five decades and has acted in classic films such as The Godfather Parts, one to three. Celebrity hasn’t always been easy for the celebrity, who has fought with mental illness for many years.
Pacino was nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe for his breakout performance in The Godfather. Pacino’s mental health began to deteriorate after the film was released and he was thrown into the spotlight.
Director and actor Lee Strasberg counseled the struggling young actor at the time to simply “adapt to his new existence.”
Pacino, on the other hand, knew that it is not so simple.
“I went through some crap,” Pacino admitted on the Awards Chatter podcast of The Hollywood Reporter. “I went to counseling five days a week for 25 years.”
Michael Corleone, the character he plays in Godfather series, suffers from depression, according to the actor.
The same thing happened in The Humbling, where he played an aging actor who had an affair with a younger woman.
“As the character matures, the sentiments he has for his work become less available to him,” he added. “As a result, he attempts to compensate and becomes a little off and confused, and slips into a type of despair that reflects in his work.” He was lured to the role first because of the character’s “tragic collapse,” he explained.
Despite admitting to experiencing problems in the past, the actor has stated that he considers himself “lucky” and “spared” from the difficulties that some of his fellow artists have and continue to face.
“I’m not sure if I’m depressed,” he admitted during the Venice Film Festival.
“People suffer from depression, which is exceedingly depressing and can last a long period.”
“I’m aware of that because I’ve had comparable symptoms before, though not to the same extent.” “I consider myself fortunate and blessed to have escaped.”
Following Robin Williams’ untimely suicide in 2014, the actor’s mental health became a source of worry.
Pacino attempted to reduce his workload in the 1980s by only appearing in a few films. “It was good for me,” he remarked of his break from the camera.
According to the World Health Organization, depression affects 5% of people worldwide. This translates to around 280 million people worldwide.
The disorder is one of the leading causes of disability in the world, and it can lead to suicide.
Despite being one of the most common mental illnesses, the vast majority of those who suffer from it go untreated.
Everyone will experience sadness at some point in their lives, according to the NHS, but it becomes a problem when the sickness takes control of your life and hinders you from performing routine chores.
Depression can be brought on by a number of things, including stress and negative life experiences. Depression and physical health have also been linked. Depression can be caused by cardiovascular disease, for example.
Depressive symptoms may include the following, according to the NHS:
prolonged melancholy or depression
Being helpless and hopeful
A lack of interest or passion for activities
Having difficulty making decisions
Not having any fun in life
Feeling concerned or anxious about injuring or harming oneself.
Other physical indicators include:
Changes in weight or hunger, as well as a slower rate of movement or speech than usual (usually decreased, but sometimes increased)
Constipation
Pains and aches that go unnoticed
Insufficient energy
Drive of poor quality (loss of libido)
Changes in the menstrual cycle
Sleep disturbances might manifest as difficulty falling asleep or waking up at an unusually early hour.
The condition can also have a negative social influence, causing a person to avoid friends and ignore interests and hobbies.
Following a diagnosis, doctors will describe the severity of the ailment. Depression can range from mild to severe. The most severe form of depression, in which daily life is practically impossible to navigate.
If you are concerned about your own or another person’s mental health, seek medical attention as soon as possible. Call The Samaritans on 116 123 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you are suffering suicidal thoughts.
