Naomi Judd stops in Detroit to share her battle with mental illness

DETROIT (WJBK) - Country music icon Naomi Judd visited Detroit to open up about her battle with mental illness, sharing how she was able to overcome depression and hoping to shatter the stigma that may isolate others.

"Everybody has some mental illness - everybody has got stuff going on. I don't care how good you look and how expensive your suit is - you've got stuff going on inside," she said.

Judd told a packed house at the Roostertail how an illness forced her to retire early from her wildly successful singing career -- that's when she sunk into a deep depression.

"It got to where I couldn't get off the couch," she said. "Depressed because of my isolation because nobody talked to me about what I had lost that my family had to put me in the psych ward at Vanderbilt."

Judd's speech to the mental health professionals with the non-profit team Cares comes just two weeks after the tragic deaths by suicide of other celebrities. fashion designer Kate Spade and chef turn TV star Anthony Bordain. Judd says she contemplated suicide as well. She's hoping by speaking out and writing her book, more people will get the help they need.

"One thing I want to do with this book is reduce the stigma - we've got to get rid of the stigma out there," she said.

It's what so many are striving for - to show mental illness impacts everyone.

"When we all realize we all  have issues we can treat mental illness like we treat the common cold," said Michael Hunter, chief information officer of Team Wellness Center.

Visit www.T-mhs.Com for more information. The Team Wellness Center has a 24 hour hotline you can call at 313-396-5300.