Watching our favorite films and television shows, it can be easy to forget that the people onscreen are real human beings and not simply the characters they’re portraying. They struggle with the same day-to-day issues that many of us do, and that includes grappling with mental illness. It may not always be apparent when seeing them onscreen, but mental illness is prevalent even among celebrities.
This is certainly true of Christopher Eccleston, who played the Ninth Doctor on Doctor Who back in 2005. The actor only recently opened up about his lifelong history with mental illness in his soon-to-be-released autobiography I Love the Bones of You: My Father and the Making of Me. As it turns out, Eccleston was dealing with anorexia and body dysmorphia during his tenure on the show, something that wouldn’t be immediately apparent to anyone watching him play the upbeat and eclectic Doctor.
“Many times I’ve wanted to reveal that I’m a lifelong anorexic and dysmorphic,” the actor wrote. “I never have. I always thought of it as a filthy secret, because I’m northern, because I’m male, and because I’m working class.”
His statement shows that, despite increased efforts to raise awareness of such disorders, the stigmas associated with mental illness are still very much present — and something as simple as someone’s gender or external circumstances can affect the way people view mental illness, making it incredibly difficult for them to open up. This is especially true of those who spend the majority of their time in the limelight.
Eccleston also mentioned how his Doctor Who fame impacted his struggle. “People love the way I look in that series, but I was very ill. The reward for that illness was the part. And therein lies the perpetuation of the whole sorry situation.”
And Eccleston’s fight against his anorexia and body dysmorphia led to him checking into a psychiatric hospital in 2015, following a split from his wife. He recalled having anxiety and suicidal thoughts during that time, which he elaborates on his book. He also used anti-depressants to alleviate his symptoms.
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Opening up about his fight with mental illness is a brave move for Eccleston, and one that will hopefully encourage others to seek help and speak out. His autobiography hits shelves on September 19.
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