Kristen Bell discusses long-term struggle with depression: 'I have no shame in that'

The actress opened up about her need to liked by her peers at all times

The actress said that a serotonin imbalance runs in her family and it is often passed from female to female (Getty Images)

Kristen Bell has revealed she has struggled with depression since she was a young girl and urged the public to tackle the stigma associated with mental illness.

The 35-year-old American actress, who is best known for her roles in Frozen and Veronica Mars, explained that she started taking medication at a young age and still takes it now.

"I struggled a lot with anxiety and depression," she said in an interview with Off Camera.

Referring to her decision to take medication, she said, “I have no shame in that because my mom had said to me, 'If you start to feel this way, talk to your doctor, talk to a psychologist, see how you want to help yourself,'“

Her mother, who is a nurse, advised her never to feel embaressment for taking medication and to recognise the parity between physical and mental health.

“She said, “If you do decide to go on a prescription to help yourself, understand that the world wants to shame you for that, but in the medical community, you would never deny a diabetic his insulin.”'

Bell explained that she often felt the need to overcompensate because was overwhelmed by the desire to be liked to her peers.

“I'm extremely co-dependent,” she said. “I shatter a little bit when I think people don't like me.”

“That's part of why I lead with kindness and I compensate by being very bubbly all the time, because it really hurts my feelings when I know I'm not liked. And I know that's not very healthy, and I fight it all the time.”

The actress said that a serotonin imbalance runs in her family and it is often passed from female to female, with both her mother and grandmother suffering at points in their lives.

“[My mom's] a nurse and she had the wherewithal to recognize that in herself when she was feeling it, and when I was 18 said, ‘If you start to feel like you are twisting things around you, and you feel like there is no sunlight around you and you are paralyzed with fear, this is what it is’”.