How Celebrities Handle Fame: Coping Mechanisms and Pitfalls

Julia Roberts in The Graham Norton Show
Credit: BBC | Fair use for promotional purposes

Julia Roberts in The Graham Norton Show
Credit: BBC | Fair use for promotional purposes

As a fan, you might be wondering about how celebrities handle fame and whether they have coping mechanics and pitfalls as they navigate their stardom.

While some people might see being famous as an advantage, there are also some disadvantages since their lives are now under public scrutiny and they won't have the typical life of an ordinary citizen.

Exploring How Celebrities Are Dealing with Fame

Matt Damon in The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
expand image
Credit: CBS | Fair use for promotional purposes

There is no easy way for any celebrity how they can handle their fame as it can be unpredictable and uncertain.

Whenever they are out in public, they are always noticed by the people and chased by the paparazzi to sell photos to different publications and showcase to the readers what their favorite stars are doing off-camera.

Celebrities are also always under scrutiny as people weigh in on their career choices or react to the projects that they made. There is also a lot of interest in their personal lives and who they might be dating.

In an interview, Matt Damon admitted that it took a couple of years for him to be comfortable with fame.

"What's the most bizarre thing about is that you know intellectually that the world is exactly the same as it was yesterday because it is. The same things that matter still matter except your subjective reality is altered forever because everybody treats you differently," the A-lister explained.

He shared that he was able to cope with fame because of the family and friends that he's surrounded with and learning to strike the balance as you need to maintain your primal relationships.

The Psychology of Fame

Keeping Up with the Kardashians
expand image
Credit: E! | Fair use for promotional purposes

As counseling psychologist Rehanna Kauser wrote, fame is a "beast that needs to be tamed and managed, otherwise, it will eat you alive and your reputation will be the least of your worries."

Fame can have pros such as recognition, adoration from fans, the potential to have a massive amount of wealth, and countless opportunities that could be offered to you.

However, it also has cons such as intense scrutiny, being an easy target for hate, the potential to become an unwitting and reluctant role model, and becoming jaded about life by your experience of fame and all the negativity that can come with it.

In the end, there is no concrete solution or coping mechanism for handling fame as it will be based on an individual's experience.

As a fan, we have to be reminded that celebrities "can feel very alone in their struggles because there is very little understanding and empathy for them" and they are "human too and deserve compassion and care."

Make sure to follow our official Facebook page for more news and explainer articles about your favorite films and TV shows!