Their dog helped them through the dark times

Find solace in their furry friends! James Middleton, Caitlin Bristow and other celebrities have relied on their dogs to support them during tough times.

The Duchess of Cambridge's brother opened up about his therapy dog Ella on World Mental Health Day in October, writing on Instagram: "This is Ella, and this is the eye that helps me through the unbearable darkness. The gentle touch of your wet nose and loving lick is enough to make me feel brave. I'll always be in your debt. Thanks Ella."

Nine months ago, the British entrepreneur wrote a frank essay about his struggle with depression, which he described as "not a feeling, but a lack of feeling."

"I know that I am incredibly happy and leading a privileged life," Middleton wrote in her January 2019 op-ed. "But it doesn't make me immune to depression. Describing this is tricky. It's not just sad. It's a disease, a cancer of the mind."

The co-founder of Boomf Cards adds: "You exist without a purpose or direction. I felt no joy, excitement or anticipation - only pounding anxiety to get me out of bed in the morning. I hadn't actually thought about killing myself - but I didn't want to live in the state of mind I was in. It was impossible for me to let the people I loved know the torment inside me."

As for the former "bachelorette," Bristow noted the irony that Ramen, her Golden Retriever rescue dog with Jayson Tatic, ended up saving her. "[He] definitely helps with my anxiety," the former reality star wrote in a sweet selfie with her adorable pooch in September 2019. "So calm, funny, loving, sweet soul loves to hug. He really is the best."

Cheryl Burke also relies on her canine companion during tough times. The pro, who filed for divorce from Matthew Lawrence in February 2022, later found her French bulldog in her new normal.

"Isabella, my French bulldog, she saved my life," Burke said in a TikTok video in March. "She told me to get out of my chair and get out in nature. She just reminds me that the world doesn't revolve around me."

Keep scrolling to see more stars who relied on dogs during the dark ages, from Vinny

"If I do another season of Dancing with the Stars, that's all I have to do," she shares in the latest episode of the Allison Interviews podcast. "When the time comes, whether this will be my last season, I don't know. Or if I don't, I can consume my mind with these thoughts." .

The 38-year-old continued: "I'd rather not have to put myself in a dance costume and just put on weight. I believe I'll start loving my body more when I don't have to push my butt.

While her future on the show is unknown, Cheryl is clear about one thing: Her purpose in life is, as she puts it, "not to teach celebrities how to dance." .

Cheryl Burke hints at retirement from Dancing with the Stars

"Whenever a celebrity slams me, it's easier now for me to feel empathy and sympathy for that person, but it's still fucking fucking," she shared of the "egotismic narcissists" she's encountered over the past 25 seasons. "It's still hard to get someone to kill you when you're feeling disrespected, so to speak, really hard! And you can't go out there, because we all have jobs to do, you know? .

She continued, "Nobody understands the show and how intense it is. I compare this show to being a survivor, except we have water and shelter. It's full." .