Kristen Bell is not afraid to open up about her struggles with anxiety and depression.
The Hollywood star has been an outspoken mental health advocate, sharing her own experiences to help break the stigma surrounding mental illness.
And now, she has partnered with the Child Mind Institute to appear in the new #MyYoungerSelf campaign, an initiative featuring celebrities who have suffered from mental health disorders giving advice to their younger selves. Bell doesn't need to dig deep to relate to the young people the campaign is geared towards: She started suffering from mental health issues at 18.
In the video, a makeup-less Bell looks directly into the camera to address her younger self. Here is her raw message about embracing imperfection, loving yourself and remembering that you are not powerless or alone:
What I would say to my younger self is, don't be fooled by the game of perfection that humans play. Because Instagram and magazines and TV shows strive for a certain aesthetic, and everything seems so beautiful, and people seem like they don't have any problems, but everyone's human. Everyone has problems. Everyone feels yucky on the inside sometimes. And you deserve to feel just as beautiful on the days when you wear no makeup, on the days you don't shower, and on the days you feel like you're depressed. And you have an obligation to take care of yourself from the inside out because that's how you can truly feel beautiful. There are resources out there if you're feeling anxious -- people to talk to, doctors to interact with, and there are tons of solutions out there for you. You are not alone. Never feel embarrassed or ashamed about who you are.
We can feel how painful growing up with mental illness must have been for Bell through her words. But while emotional, her message ends on an uplifting note of hope and love: You're not alone, and you can do this.
According to a 2016 report by the Child Mind Institute, 17.1 million young people will be affected by mental health disorders before the age of 18.
