Does Cameron Dallas have depression?

In this blog we will discuss Cameron Dallas and his own experiences with depression and addiction. 

Does Cameron Dallas have depression?

Cameron Dallas, a famous influencer has opened up about his mental health struggles and has been very candid about his addiction on his social media platforms. 

Dallas first opened up about his battle with depression in 2016 on his youtube channel explaining that:

“People get depressed over different things. One of the things for me was because I was alone too much and had too much social anxiety to talk to people so I felt all alone that made me depressed.”

(Jason Sheeler, People) 

He has been open about his social anxiety in spite of his fame, often citing loneliness as one of the major reasons why he was depressed. 

This particular disclosure was early in his career, since then he has been very candid about how he struggled with fame and addiction once his career began to pick up steam. 

He posted a video on instagram disclosing that he has been dealing with addiction for the past two years and has been sober for over 100 days. 

He said:

“I’ve been wanting to make this video for a while, but basically I wanted to fill everyone in on what I’ve been going through for the last two and a half years, I have been in rehab, and I’ve been getting help dealing with addiction, anxiety, depression and a bunch of other things, family trauma.”(Jason Sheeler, People) 

The 24-year-old goes on to explain that he has been in rehab, and is being treated for depression as well as anxiety and that he was 105 days sober the day the video was posted.

In this particular video he has been very optimistic and hopeful in his tone with determination to be an advocate for mental health and addiction. 

He added,

“I want to stay on this path and I want to be an advocate. I want to help others and spread awareness to people, to give them an opportunity to get help, and I’m really excited, I’m really stoked. I’m still new to this, and I hope that you guys want to help me spread awareness and if anyone needs help, please reach out.”(Jason Sheeler, People) 

He also extended support to other people who are also doing through similar mental health struggles in their lives as his caption read:

“I want everyone to know that there IS hope even when it seems helpless, that there IS serenity even when you’re filled with anxious thoughts. That you CAN overcome addiction and codependency if YOU choose to get help and really want it for yourself.” (Jason Sheeler, People) 

In 2016, Dallas added details about his mental health journey and stated that his deterroriation began when he started to drink a lot because there was no one to tell him what to do. 

This freedom that he was privileged to had led him to develop a full blown addiction and by 2019, his lifestyle led to scandals and an arrest. 

In his post he noted that he has been focusing on self care and self work and that he realises that the work he has been putting into when it comes to his own mental health is real unlike the pretence of social media. 

He noted that his use of social media has been a large part of his mental health deterioration and has since been careful about using it. 

He noted that social media is not bad, however  “It’s just how you use it.” As of today, he has been highly focused on his career as a musician and has since released an album.

What is depression

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), a leading publication used for diagnosis of mental disorders by mental health professionals, Major depressive disorder or depression is a serious mood disorder.

Depression is marked by the following symptoms:

• Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day- either by their own observation or observation made by others.
• Diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day.
• Significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain, or decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day.
• Insomnia or hypersomnia. 
• A slowing down of thought and a reduction of physical movement (observable by others, not merely subjective feelings of restlessness or being slowed down).
• Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day.
• Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt nearly every day.
• Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day.

Depression symptoms also include extremely low mood and fatigue and is often accompanied by thoughts of worthlessness and hopelessness which can lead to suicidal ideation and even attempts. 

Depression related symptoms such as inability to focus, lack of energy, and hopelessness can impact a person’s ability to work and meet the demands of their daily lives. 

People with depression often struggle with low self esteem and self worth which can cause them to negatively assess themselves. They may fear rejection and abandonment from other people which may cause them to isolate themselves in a bid to protect themselves.

This social withdrawal can make it difficult for them to maintain social commitments and relationships as they might choose to push people away especially when they do not have the skills to communicate and manage their emotions and thoughts. 

While these are some of the ways depression impacts a person, the disorder itself can cause the quality of life of people who have it to drastically decrease and in extreme cases, if the disorder is left untreated, it can lead to suicide attempts and death. 

How to cope and manage if you have depression?

Here are a few things you can do to cope with depression:

Seek professional help

If you have not been diagnosed, do not stick to self diagnosis based on your symptoms. Seek out professional consultations starting with your GP who can refer you to specialists in the field. 

There may be different medications- some which might work for you while others that might not help you. 

Taking time to find a doctor who can help you with estimating the right dosage of medication and the right medical treatment can make the quality of your journey to recovery drastically different. 

Reduce stress

If it’s a job that is causing you immense stress, maybe it is time to consider taking a leave of absence. Or it could be your own family environment that is causing your symptoms to flare up- consider moving out if your financial situation persists. 

The intent here is to reduce or remove the things in your life that add stress. If it is a certain relationship, taking the time to set boundaries or communicate that you are taking time out can be one way. 

By reducing stressors, the thought of waking up and facing your day may seem a little less daunting, you might even look forward to it. 

Learn and apply coping skills

If you are depressed, you can learn coping skills and techniques and apply them at least once a day when experiencing depression. 

This can be learning how to tackle your anxieties and negative moods by regulating your breathing and engaging in deep breathing techniques. 

You can also try grounding techniques to help you cope with spiralling down a negative rumination. Make goals for each day and let your goals be small, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time bound, 

Make plans for your day that suit your pace- if today is especially difficult, make a step by step plan from your bed to the bathroom in the mornings. Reward yourself when you succeed and be kind when you slip up. Remind yourself that you are learning. 

Exercise

Engaging in exercise, even if it is only a 15 minute stretch can be a wonderful step towards loving yourself and caring for yourself. 

You can opt for joining the gym however, if this is too much you can consider yoga or pilates that you can start gradually; you can also go for walks or runs alone or with your loved ones. 

Getting out of your house and doing something that allows you to get your blood pumping in itself can be a great way of self care. 

Eat a healthy diet

Diet is an important aspect of overall health and is an important component of maintaining a positive state of mental health. 

There has been plenty of research studies that have been linked to what we eat and higher risks of depression. Research finds that well balanced meals with adequate intake of vegetables, fruits, grain, and healthy fats are related to lower risks of depression.

Sleep well

Take time to improve your sleep hygiene. Research has found that sleep disorders are also a core symptom of depression. Irregular sleep and not enough sleep can make your healing process difficult and can even heighten the risk of relapse. 

Some of the things you can do to improve your sleep hygiene are

• Avoid substances that impact your sleep, this includes caffeine. 
• Exercise daily
• Avoid heavy dinners
• Change your sleeping environment to be more soothing and sleep inducing. 
• Make changes in your pre-sleep routine such as taking relaxing baths before sleep, avoiding gadgets two hours before sleeping time.

Connect with loved ones

Reaching out to people who love you and letting them know that you are having a hard time now, can bring you closer to people who truly love and care for you.

These are positive relationships we want and need around you as you begin your journey to recovery. Positive relationships help you discover joys and meaning to your life. 

Make plans to meet them for lunch, or go for a walk with them. Make sure you make clear what you can and cannot do and agree on something that both you and them can enjoy. 

You can also take the step to connect with other people who are coping with depression through group therapy or support groups.

Oftentimes, listening to other people’s successes can instil hope, it also gives you the opportunity to learn new perspectives of living and life along with new techniques to cope.

Conclusion

In this blog we have discussed Cameron Dallas and his own experiences with depression and addiction. 

References

Jason Sheeler. Cameron Dallas Opens Up About His Dark Past with Drinking and Social Media — and How He Found Recovery. People. Retrieved on 27th April 2022. https://people.com/music/cameron-dallas-dark-past-drinking-social-media-recovery/

Tess Garcia. Cameron Dallas Reveals He’s Been in Rehab for Over 2 Years. Retrieved on 27th April 2022. https://www.teenvogue.com/story/cameron-dallas-reveals-rehab-sobriety