Image Credit: Kiyoshi Ota / Getty Images
Wentworth Miller has responded to a post from popular Facebook page The LAD Bible which mocked him for gaining weight, admirably using it to open up about his struggles with his mental health by explaining the context of the photo.
The Prison Break actor explained how the photo was taken in 2010, during “the lowest point in [his] adult life”, with his battle with depression and suicidal thoughts being exacerbated as a result of the images being used in “Fit To Flab” and “Hunk To Chunk” comparison articles in national magazines.
You can read the post, which has attracted over 300,000 likes on Facebook, below:
Today I found myself the subject of an Internet meme. Not for the first time. This one, however, stands out from the...
Posted by Wentworth Miller on Monday, 28 March 2016
Here's it is in full:
"Today I found myself the subject of an Internet meme. Not for the first time. This one, however, stands out from the rest.
In 2010, semi-retired from acting, I was keeping a low-profile for a number of reasons. First and foremost, I was suicidal. This is a subject I've since written about, spoken about, shared about. But at the time I suffered in silence. As so many do. The extent of my struggle known to very, very few.
Ashamed and in pain, I considered myself damaged goods. And the voices in my head urged me down the path to self-destruction. Not for the first time. I've struggled with depression since childhood. It's a battle that's cost me time, opportunities, relationships, and a thousand sleepless nights.
In 2010, at the lowest point in my adult life, I was looking everywhere for relief/comfort/distraction. And I turned to food. It could have been anything. Drugs. Alcohol. Sex. But eating became the one thing I could look forward to. Count on to get me through. There were stretches when the highlight of my week was a favorite meal and a new episode of TOP CHEF. Sometimes that was enough. Had to be. And I put on weight. Big f--king deal.
One day, out for a hike in Los Angeles with a friend, we crossed paths with a film crew shooting a reality show. Unbeknownst to me, paparazzi were circling. They took my picture, and the photos were published alongside images of me from another time in my career. "Hunk To Chunk." "Fit To Flab." Etc. My mother has one of those "friends" who's always the first to bring you bad news. They clipped one of these articles from a popular national magazine and mailed it to her. She called me, concerned.
In 2010, fighting for my mental health, it was the last thing I needed. Long story short, I survived. So do those pictures. I'm glad. Now, when I see that image of me in my red t-shirt, a rare smile on my face, I am reminded of my struggle. My endurance and my perseverance in the face of all kinds of demons. Some within. Some without. Like a dandelion up through the pavement, I persist. Anyway. Still. Despite.
The first time I saw this meme pop up in my social media feed, I have to admit, it hurt to breathe. But as with everything in life, I get to assign meaning. And the meaning I assign to this/my image is Strength. Healing. Forgiveness. Of myself and others."
The LAD Bible have since responded to Miller's post, saying they were "very, very wrong" to post the photo, adding: "Mental health is no joke or laughing matter."
"We applaud your raw honesty and promise to now cover such matters in the responsible manner that our audience expects," the post continued, concluding with a number of links mental health awareness and suicide prevention services.
