- Dakota, 34, has talked candidly about living with depression since she was 15
- The actress received the 2023 Hope Award for Depression Advocacy award
- She recalled how a recent conversation with her boyfriend, 46, helped her
Dakota Johnson has revealed the sweet way in which her boyfriend Chris Martin has helped to pull her out of a depressive state when she is having a ‘low day’.
The Fifty Shades of Grey actress, 34, spoke candidly about her mental health struggles as she was honored for her depression advocacy work at the 17th Annual HOPE Luncheon Seminar on Tuesday.
Dakota, who has suffered with depression since she was 15, revealed her coping mechanism is to use humor to ‘deflect’ – as she recalled one telltale sign Coldplay front man Chris, 46, knows to look out for.
‘A few weeks ago I was having a low day,’ she began. ‘My partner said to me so kindly, “Are you really struggling?”. I said, “No”.
‘He said, “Baby, you’re wearing a Cats T-shirt”. Like Cats, the musical. It turns out I was really struggling.’
She continued: ‘But that moment lifted my heart, and it pulled me out of it.’
Dakota, who has been dating the British singer since 2017, continued: ‘I think most of the time I speak about depression or anxiety in a very self deprecating way. Perhaps it is easier to look it in the eyes if I wear the mask of comedy.
‘Covering my pain or anxiety in comedy is a lifelong tool and I don’t think it’s a bad thing. It works. It helps me because sometimes if I don’t laugh, I’ll cry.’
Elsewhere in the speech, Dakota explained: ‘The biggest thing I’ve learnt about depression is learning to become okay with there never really being an immediate answer, never really being an immediate end.’
She went on to credit her parents, Hollywood stars Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith, for introducing her to the world of therapy at a young age amid their public divorce in 1996 – when Dakota was just seven years old.
‘I had my first experience with therapy in my early childhood,’ the Persuasion star said. ‘My parents, who are quite famous, they divorced when I was young. They were wise in understanding that may be an outsider could help me with some of the complexities of my family life.’
Dakota also shared some of the tools she has used to help manage her depression and anxiety, in the hopes that it might help others.
She started by practicing ‘transcendental meditation’ on a daily basis which she described as a key tool for her mental wellbeing.
She then listed therapy, body work such as deep tissue massages, breathwork and yoga.
Dakota also praised the power of walking, swimming in ‘natural bodies of water’, spending time with spiritual people, and ‘being in true nature and immersing in the true wonder and beauty that is mother earth.’
She also took time to praise the medical drugs and tools that continue to be developed to help those suffering with depression.
The annual luncheon – which benefits the charity Hope for Depression Research Foundation – was held at The Plaza, New York City, and was attended by actress Brooke Shields and Real Housewives of New York star Ramona Singer.
Dakota was dressed in a taupe blazer which she paired with black leather pants and a silky white blouse.
The theme of this year’s event was ‘Resilience: Emerging Stronger from Life’s Greatest Challenges.’
The annual event attracts over 300 top New York City philanthropists, asset managers, business and media professionals, socialites and celebrities.
A press release read: ‘The event focuses on a specific aspect of depression and invites the most respected psychiatrists and neuroscientists to educate the audience about the latest updates in science and the research that HDRF has funded.
‘The goal of the HOPE Luncheon Seminar is to raise awareness about depression and its related mood disorders and to raise funds for continued research.’
Last month, the star celebrated her 34th birthday with a romantic dinner with her boyfriend.
Chris then threw a casual, low key party for her, which was attended by Leslie Mann, Judd Apatow, Jodie Turner-Smith, Jeremey Allen White and her younger sister Stella Banderas.
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
