Roseanne actress Emma Kenney, who appears in the revival as Roseanne’s granddaughter Harris, announced that she is seeking treatment for her “battles.”
In her statement, she said, “I was running with a really fast crowd. … I was doing things I should not be doing because it was illegal and I’m not 21. It wasn’t healthy, and it was making me feel even worse—anxious and depressed. It was just a slippery slope that I did not want to go down. And I knew that I needed to stop it.”
However, Kenney hasn’t allowed these battles stop her from remaining positive and looking out for her fans. “I just want to send a message to my fans saying that it’s OK to admit that you need help,” she said, “and it doesn’t make you weak. I’m going to come out on the other side, the True Emma that I’ve always been.”
Kenney, 18, is best known for playing Debbie Gallagher on the Showtime series Shameless since 2011, and it looks like growing up in the industry took its toll on her. In a recent social media post, the young star said she “decided to take a break from social media and LA for a minute.”
I’m proud of Emma for getting the help that she needs and for being so open, because often conversations surrounding mental health can be riddled with stigmas or ignorance. I have no doubt that she’ll be able to find the “True Emma” she’s seeking.