United Under the Roof of Gregory House

On the popular show House M.D., Doctor Gregory House has said before, “everybody lies.” The relevance of this simple statement extends past the show itself. However, many House fans like the phrase because it embodies the character of House, and his particular brand of wisdom. Doctor House is portrayed by Hugh Laurie, who is an actor that is as brilliant and arresting as his on screen counterpart.

There is an abundance to know about Hugh Laurie for he’s a man of several layers. For instance, he’s actually English and fakes an American accent, he holds a great talent for playing the piano, he’s written a book (The Gun Seller) …etc. What most people people know him for in America is his role as House. But even as a fan of the show and the actor, one thing that I didn’t know about him until recently was that he suffers from severe clinical depression.

In January of 2005, Laurie told the Daily Record, “I would cling to unhappiness because it a was known, familiar state.” The article cites Laurie’s depression as “crippling” which is a satisfying word to describe depression. It isn’t just one little thing that you can put away like a bad impulse buy of yellow platform shoes - it has the ability to totally shut you down as a functioning human being.

Hugh apparently understands that, as he’s worked in therapy:

“I know a lot of people think therapy is about sitting around staring at your own navel - but it’s staring at your own navel with a goal. And the goal is to one day to see the world in a better way and treat your loved ones with more kindness and have more to give. ” - Hugh Laurie

Right now you can ring in the new year by supporting a worthy cause - the National Alliance of Mental Illness. They have a T-shirt for sale with the “Everybody Lies” phrase. All proceeds for this T-shirt go to support mental health charities. There is a unisex, and a women’s T - both available for $19.95: here.

Supporting mental health charities seems to be especially important to Hugh Laurie, who is a fan of Western medicine. WebMD the Magazine had an article about Laurie in January of 2007 where he said, “I find white coats rather saintly in some ways… I have a reverence for the practice of medicine — I’m a great believer in Western medicine and all its wonders.” In fact, Laurie’s own father is a general practitioner in the UK. It would seem he has a great role in being able to play a Doctor, himself.

In the same article, Laurie comments about what he’s learned about Doctors and patients. He said, “There are no clear and immediate answers to medical problems… The average lay patient assumes or hopes that as soon as he walks into a clinic, his condition will immediately become [clear] and the course of treatment will be immediately apparent.” I find that quote to be of particular interest because it can be applied to both physical and mental health. Just as on the show, sometimes treating a mental illness is not as easy as you’re supposed to believe it will be. You can end up feeling like a guinea pig. You want those clear answers, but there aren’t always clear answers. I know this quite well, as I do have something in common with Hugh Laurie - and it’s not an English accent. (Believe me, I’ve tried.)

I suffer from treatment-resistant major depressive disorder, as well as anxiety disorders, and sometimes a touch of obsessive-compulsive disorder. These are things I’ve dealt with since being a young teen, although they have been at their worst from 2002 through mid 2007. Knowing firsthand the struggle someone may have when they have these types of health issues, I am very grateful — not only to the show for supporting mental health, but also for Hugh in speaking out about it.

While this article could end here, this is a topic I am invested in, and care deeply about. I decided I would collect quotes and thoughts from others. I reached out to House fans as well as to people who have mental health issues.

What I noticed, and must note to you now, was that people who are fans of the show did not have as much a problem with giving me input. But when I approached people who weren’t fans, asking them the same questions - I got responses that varied from being ignored to being insulted. At any rate, there are not contributions from non-House fans in here, but not for a lack of trying (I submitted to posting boards about House as well as ones about clinical depression, and also talked to people). I do believe that there are non-House fans out with mental health issues that would speak out about mental health advocacy. I just wasn’t able to find them. (But I welcome their comments here, as well as anyone else’s.)

At any rate, I have several quotes to share with you from the generous contributors and commenter’s to my queries.

Savannah Nicole L. (20) is a mental health advocate and House fan from PA. Being an advocate is important to her, especially because she has mental health issues, and feels judged for having them. She told me that she currently has, “…Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD), Bipolar Disorder, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).” As someone who strikes me as having a good grasp on their problems and infuses life with a healthy dose of humor where possible, she added, “Yay, Alphabet soup?”

About the shirts in question, she said, “I personally work with [ mental health ] issues in my community, county, and state, and the ‘Everybody Lies’ shirts and the donation to NAMI attached to it really excited me when I found out about it. House M.D is one of my favorite American TV Shows, and to know that shirts being put out with them helps benefit a cause I care about is really exciting.”

Alison J. (34) from the United Kingdom is a long-time fan of the show and Hugh Laurie. When asked about her awareness of Laurie’s depression she…

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said, “I’d known Hugh Laurie previously for his comedic work in e.g. A Bit of Fry & Laurie and Blackadder. It was very interesting to ‘discover’ him anew, together with the US viewers getting to know him for the first time. I’d always thought of him as a very outgoing, comic character and it was surprising and interesting to learn of his depression.” When asked if knowing about his depression affected her view of Laurie as an actor she commented, “Not at all. If anything it makes me more impressed at his talent and achievement.” I received similar quotes from several people.

Alyssa M. (16) from CA said learning about Laurie’s depression, “…makes me love him more.”

Something that interested (and concerned) me was that Alison J. told me that she’s, “… suffered from depression at times and [has] sought treatment once or twice but never really persevered with it.” As to why that is, in her own words we can find the simple (and I suspect all too-common) answer, “I think there is still a stigma attached to the issue of mental health and I do find I am reluctant to admit to [ or ] discuss having depression and it even puts me off from pursuing treatment.” Many people may put off seeking treatment for mental health issues because they are vaguely aware that it’s not something kindly looked upon in society. On a personal note, it’s taken me many years to be okay with admitting I have my own mental health issues. So I can relate to this.

Three years ago, I went to a new facility for therapy. In the waiting room there was an energetic brunette woman who was happy to chat with me. However, I was tense - with my shoulders up, bitter feelings rolling around in my stomach, and I wanted to be left alone. I was angry I even had to be there. In what seemed to be to be an absurdly open gesture, the bubbly brunette told me that she was there because she was bipolar and had family issues. Then she inquired politely as to why I was there.

This was a safe environment, and it was with someone who was familiar with mental health issues - but I still froze in my uncomfortable gaudy blue chair. I felt almost insulted she’d asked (looking back, I feel embarrassed to have felt that way). I had no intention of revealing my ‘horrible secrets’ to anyone besides my therapist, and maybe my cat. I told her I didn’t want to talk about it, and she understood and didn’t press on further. I have never seen that woman again, but I will probably always remember her for showing me that you can talk about your problems in public without a cloud of shame, but that you never need to push anyone to do it before they’re ready.

My wish is for people to feel more able to come out with their problems and seek treatment if they believe they need it. Alison J. seems very intelligent and I can in no way blame her for her views. But I do hope that as society moves along and TV shows include these topics, and TV show celebrities speak out if they have similar problems, she might broaden those views.

I have been in those uncomfortably self-aware shoes. Before the days of waiting in gaudy blue chairs, I was a younger teen, in a different office (more brown and tan hued). I can recall a few times I would sit stubborn in silence for the entire hour session of therapy because I did not want to be there. And when it was suggested I go on an anti-depressant I was practically inconsolable. I felt like I was being punished.

What’s interesting is that when I saw my first psychiatrist, I remember that she asked me if I’d heard of Prozac before. When I told her I hadn’t, she didn’t seem to believe me. She told me how some people made jokes about it, but they were just jokes. I had no idea what she was talking about at the time. Now I realize she was trying to make me feel okay about taking them.

But even not knowing anything bad about Prozac, I still didn’t want to take it. I didn’t want to take any pill at all, especially one that wasn’t treating a physical symptom. To tell someone that what their problem is has to do with their brain - well, it’s hard for them to not be insulted, and probably scared. If your leg is broken, you don’t take it too personally. But it’s another matter when it’s your mind. And even once you’ve accepted this, how do you tell friends, family or (oftentimes pesky and invasive) co-workers? It’s not so easy.

Eric B. just turned 26 and is a native of California. In 1997 he was 15, and that was also the year he was diagnosed as Bipolar Type II. He says that at times he does feel judged for his mental illness, a topic he told me he knows, “… is a touchy, touchy subject in society.” Some general guidelines are used by him for when and how he’ll share that he has Bipolar disorder. He said, “…because I live a very balanced life and have my disorder mostly under control, I usually don’t reveal I have Bipolar until after I’ve made impressions on people over time. I feel I have to do this to change the way they view the disorder, rather than viewing me based on their perception of what Bipolar is supposed to look like.”

Eric B. is a fan of House. “As someone who suffers from a mental illness and who studies and lives in a society that often misunderstands and even misguides its mentally ill, I applaud people like Hugh Laurie who stick to their guns and pursue their dreams rather than letting their limitations get them down. Hugh Laurie is an inspiration to me as someone who does what they need to do to overcome their illness and get the job done, day in and day out”

But does Eric B. think that it’s so easy to get treatment and find answers? While he is quick to point out that, “Sadly, all too often, people with mental illnesses don’t have the same ability to utilize their self-determination and cannot or will not accept help…” - he has another side to his own argument.

He spoke of friends, friends who have depression, friends who have schizophrenia - and how some of them have overcome the obstacles their illness presented, while others didn’t. He spoke of some people who, “…go through periods where they can’t get out of bed for days on end and their disorders define their lives. This is not always their fault. All too often, they are reminded of their failures and called lazy and reminded that there is ’something wrong with them.’ This isn’t right, this isn’t healthy, and this needs to change.” So, is change happening? Does House (and everyone involved) or Laurie contribute to that change?

One of the questions I had for people without mental health issues was if knowing that Hugh Laurie had some make them feel at all more sympathetic towards anyone else who has similar conditions. While citing that she’s impressed with Laurie’s ability to work with his depression, Christina G. (23) from NJ said, “I already consider myself a very sympathetic and empathetic person, so I’m going to say no, because I don’t know him personally. I’m more affected when it’s someone I know.” So it’s not just a fan thing. People don’t only care if there’s a celebrity involved. But, this doesn’t mean that Laurie’s presence itself doesn’t make an impact.

Alyssa M. said, “I really don’t think any attention is given [to mental health awareness]. If you asked me to name any famous person with depression, I’d have a hard time saying any name.” Megan S. (16) from IA agrees that there isn’t enough emphasis given to this topic. She said she is, ” grateful for [celebrities speaking out about their own mental health], especially because of the fact that so many people look up to celebrities, so hopefully it’ll show the world that they aren’t all happy and perfect. There is also a famous person that has depression, and he often writes about it, and I can relate to him, so it makes me feel less alone. I think that more attention could be given [to this].”

Back to the show and celebrity at hand, Shada E. (25) from Ohio was eager to tell me why House was her favorite character on House M.D.: “[He] has to be my favorite character because of his complexity. I often wonder if people completely understand what he’s going through and what he’s thinking, and that’s what makes him so great. While you may understand facets of his personality and why he is the way he is, sometimes he doesn’t make complete sense. Like a part of him is always hidden, and he doesn’t want anyone to see who he really is. Maybe, because, he’s afraid of who he might because because that’s completely different from who he’s used to. He’s just interesting. He’s in pain, mentally and physically, and he carries on despite the pain because to give up would be to admit defeat. And he’s not about to do that. And I love that, ‘I’m defeated and hurting, but I don’t give a damn’ attitude.”

Shada E. said she was aware of Laurie’s depression. “After I learned about his battle, I actually felt drawn to him as a person. And then it started to make sense how he could play Dr. House the way that he does - he may not understand the drug addiction or snark or other behaviors that the doctor exhibits, but he’s able to portray them because he understands the pain and the agony that drives it all. If you understand that drive, you can have a better relation to the character, no matter how your own depression manifests itself.”

Being able to speak so eloquently about depression may be in part because Shada E. has her own similar battles. She has dealt with clinical depression, and well as a disorder called Trichotillomania, which she told me, “… is basically an impulse disorder categorized by the impulse to pull out one’s own hair. ” It was not Shade E.’s peers that made her feel judged, but her parents. She said that because of her Trichotillomania,”I was constantly told I wouldn’t get a job, I wouldn’t get a boyfriend, I wouldn’t be able to be normal. They told me these things to try and help me, to scare me into being okay, but they never worked and only made things worse. They didn’t understand the depression much, either.” Depression, to me, often seems like something that’s hard to explain to anyone who hasn’t experienced it. Even having experienced it, depending on my mood - sometimes I feel like I can’t understand someone else’s pain properly.

Someone who knows something about feeling judged is Christina M. (21) from Canada. She caught onto House in the second season, and then went out and bought the first season on DVD because she loves it. She suffers from Bipolar disorder and it worries her sometimes. She told me, “I work with kids at a daycare so my struggle is to keep anyone whether it be the parents or the other staff from finding out since everyone seems to think that mental health issues seem to involve talking to the furniture or going postal with a sawed off shot gun.” Again, we hear evidence of a horrible stigma attached to any mental health issue. That’s not right. It’s not even okay.

We spend so much time burrowing down into groups, dividing ourselves. And yet, we are a culture obsessed with communication. That much is evident by the rise of how technology has moved to give us instant access to people via cell phones, IMs, text messages, and digital photos. Most all of which are able to be sent and received within seconds. Despite this, we are still humans who fear what we do not know. We still find it hard to accept other’s differences.

Though we are all unique with our own differences - we are still all capable of sympathy, empathy, caring, understanding, and the beauty that is charity of a kind spirit.

“People need to know that they are not alone. Their friends and family need to be educated on what’s going on, and what they can do to help and support their loved ones who suffer from mental illness. Reducing the stigma and fighting the stereotypes can do nothing but help people with mental illnesses have a better life. We may not all go on to be as successful as Hugh Laurie, but we do have a right to be happy with ourselves and receive support and love from some source that can help us through our lives.” - Eric B.

I hope that you can appreciate the people who have offered up their opinions and thoughts, all in an effort to raise awareness. I also hope that my personal insights into growing up/with mental illnesses has illuminated something for you, whether you are a person who also has a mental health issue or not. So many people have some form of a mental health issue. We should be moving in positive directions to help people, and have people help themselves, while raising awareness of the general public. This, like so many things, is an ongoing battle.

Until next time,

Jessica for Sofachip.com

If you haven’t seen House M.D., I highly recommend it:

House, M.D. - Season One

House, M.D. - Season Two

House, M.D. - Season Three

I also recommend these books:

Prozac Nation - Young And Depressed In America (Read it, loved it.)

Undercurrents: A Life Beneath the Surface (A wonderfully written memoir by Martha Manning.)

Talking to Depression: Simple Ways To Connect When Someone In Your Life Is Depressed: Simple Ways To Connect When Someone In Your Life Is Depressed (I have not read this, but it is also by Martha Manning so I am confident in recommending it.)

Images were found on NAMI.org and Hughlaurie.net.

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