kind of a crisis

[Sophie]

 I feel really low about MD right now I read in a stanislavski book ( he is the for- father of modern acting) and it says an actor must keep good mental health and resolve depression when it first acours, after 3 years of un diagnosed severe depressive syptoms i final feel that i am almost better, but does this mean to recover the years spend in an acting slump due to depression i have to also resolve MD to be able to have "good mental health"  i have have forms of md ever since i could…

[Rhiannon Augustus]

I would keep in mind that Stanislavskis' system of acting is only one style and that he himself said "Create your own method. Don't depend slavishly on mine. Make up something that will work for you! But keep breaking traditions, I beg you."

There are many actors that have suffered from mental illnesses.  The stigma is starting to diminish as more people speak out about their mental health issues.  More and more celebrities, many of them successful actors, are speaking out about not having "good mental health".

A few actors I know of off the top of my head are Christian Bale, Richard Dreyfuss, Catherine Zeta Jones, Mel Gibson, Brooke Shields, Carrie Fisher, Emma Thompson, Halle Berry, Jim Carrey.

It would be to your benefit to take care of yourself of course, and do whatever you can to improve your mental health, but I think it is overly harsh on yourself to worry whether you can live up to a standard that, in my opinion, I really don't think exists in the first place.  I don't believe you have to find a way to fit yourself into someone elses' box in order to be a good actor.  I believe Stanislavski found a method that worked for him and others used it as it suited them.  Use it as it suits you and add your own twist to it as he suggests.  The only person who can develop the method that works for you, that knows how to make you a good actor is you.  

[Windy City Day Dreamer]

There are famous actors on this list who have had mental health issues. See http://depressionmentalhealth.com/general-topics/a-few-famous-peopl...