Dr. Andrew Mohanraj

Dato’ Dr Andrew Mohanraj Chandrasekaran

A person can be suddenly catapulted to fame by being extremely charming or talented, by sheer chance, by being in the right place at the right time, by hard work that suddenly pays off or a combination of such factors. Whatever may the reason, the truth is that such sudden leap to fame rarely provide long term psychological stability to that person especially when such fame is achieved from obscurity.

Many of such people, particularly those with extremely good looks and extraordinary talent who become celebrities already have pre-existing traits like histrionic, narcissistic or borderline personality traits or full blown personality disorders. We know for sure that many Hollywood stars have been known or even admitted to having Bipolar disorder which is characterised by periods of high energy, great talent, and over working to the level that many others cannot keep up with them or simply amazed by this exhibition of bubbling enthusiasm for work and play. At the other extreme, such people with Bipolar disorder can also fall into depression, abuse drugs and may attempt suicide. Many have succeeded in their attempts.

The burden of fame can be very stressful .Those with such pre existing psychological conditions may not be able to handle fame like others do .So, to cope with work pressure, the need to be brave and energetic, and to meet the demands of being famous often leads to seeking to cope with such stress by abusing alcohol or drugs which can lead to overdose and death.

Many have argued that many achieve fame and celebrity status only because their colourful personalities and dedication to work as a result of their underlying psychological conditions. This is debatable. While is well known that many Film stars, Singers, Religious and spiritual leaders suffer from psychological conditions, there are also many without such conditions who have achieved fame and stardom.

Whatever may be the case, for famous people, life can be lonely at the top despite being in a crowd. Sudden fame brings adulation which reaffirms the fame and somewhere along the line, this is the only factor that determines happiness. When there is no more adulation or approval, because of competition or misdemeanour, unhappiness sets in, resulting in depression and suicide.

Why does this happen? For one thing people who achieve fame in a short time are consumed by the euphoria of being famous and usually surround themselves with sycophants who tell them what they want to hear. Slowly their world is characterised by artificial or superficial relationships. Like everyone else famous people also seek love but real love evades them because they seek glamorous people who are equally insecure or because genuine relationships do not come their way because of their promiscuity, infidelity or other risky behaviour. This eventually causes disappointment and disillusionment.

In a nutshell, people who suddenly shoot to fame and stardom may have problems in the following three domains;

• Relationship- Extreme love/hate relationship
• Addiction – recreational drugs or alcohol or both
• Acceptance- the almost pathological need for constant acceptance, approval and adulation

Clinically cases concerned with problems associated with fame, fall into three categories;

1. Relationship problems with their lover, partner or spouse that came about not long after fame set in .Often, there is an element of substance abuse or promiscuity that is involved.

2. Depression as a result of financial issues .Famous people often get into risky business ventures thinking that their name alone will ensure the successful launch of certain products or services. Some may write their autobiographies or “success stories” that that sell dismally. This is also perceived as rejection.

3. Divorce or separation proceedings involving two equally famous personalities. This is most challenging as often both personalities are strong willed and are to inclined to give in to the other

 Advice to those who are famous:

Fame can be addictive. When you have reached your peak and run out of triumphs, then what happens? When your sycophants leave you, reality sets in. Be prepared for the day when you walk in the street and you hear people whispering “I know that face but I cannot quite place him”

• Maintain a good support system. Pay attention to close friends and family you knew before you shot to stardom or fame. Surround yourself with people who have stood by you through thick and thin.
• Keep your private life, private! Find time to spend fulfilling moments with your family and close friends. One retired politician  even at the height of her glory  as a senior Cabinet Minister found time to occasionally rush back home and cook for her family !
• Identify a role model in your industry or area of interest and learn how she or he embraced success and fame.
• Maintain a good reputation when enjoying fame. When popularity starts to wane, some might think that “any publicity is good publicity” and indulge in something negative just to draw attention to themselves but this is not advisable as the eventual psychological impact of such publicity can be detrimental to your mental health.
• Avoid short term fulfilment or negative ways to cope with stress. Be aware of the dangers of indulging in recreational drugs or reckless behaviour.
• Use your fame to help others.Get involve in charities .This helps you get true fulfilment in life .Use your money and fame to draw attention to a worthy cause.
• Be aware of underlying psychological conditions that you could possibly have. Often famous people “break down” only after they achieve fame although they may have had not so obvious signs and symptoms of an underlying condition all along. See a Clinical Psychologist or Psychiatrist to discuss how to manage this.