On September 28, 2014, news broke that Amanda Bynes was arrested for a DUI. This came as a shock to most, especially her parents, since she had been almost completely silent after spending a few months getting specialized treatment last year. The star seemed to be doing better.
After this arrest, Bynes tweeted some pretty bizarre things; she claimed she was getting married and that she was being “microchipped” to say that her father molested her.
Before receiving treatment last year, Bynes tweeted some odd and concerning things that made her the trending story among the media. So when she went back on Twitter a few weeks ago, people took notice and were buzzing about it. There were many tweets from the public saying things like “so excited Amanda Bynes is back on Twitter” or “cant stop laughing at Amanda Bynes tweets.”
Do people really think she is acting crazy to entertain? Do they really think someone would seriously say these things with full mental consciousness? Take a second and imagine if this were a close relative that was saying these things and behaving in this manner, would you laugh? Hopefully you would notice the abnormal behavior and be gravely concerned.
While it is not confirmed, experts say Amanda shows signs of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. However, her family denies that she suffers from these diseases.
Webster’s Dictionary defines a mental disorder as “a mental or bodily condition marked primarily by sufficient disorganization of personality, mind, and emotions to seriously impair the normal psychological functioning of the individual.”
Even though the former actress has not officially admitted to a mental illness, Bynes definitely shows signs of a mental disorder. She does not appear to have normal psychological functioning.
Why is it humorous to watch someone’s mental sanity deteriorate? I’m sure her family is not amused. They have to watch their once bubbly and comedic daughter turn into someone so detached from reality to the point of spreading lies of her father molesting her. It is hard to imagine their heartache.
Bynes has been showing signs of abnormal behavior and apparent delusions, which are typical for schizophrenia and bipolar, but self harm and suicides are also very common symptoms. Thankfully, she seems to have a loving family who is helping her seek psychiatric professionals before she is able to do any real harm. If she did do any real harm to herself, there is no doubt the media and the public would be handling this situation differently. They would praise and remember Amanda’s career, sympathize with her family, and show support that she gets the help that is needed.
For example, Demi Lovato sought help for her bulimia and bipolar disorder. She was self-harming, and people sympathized with her and praised her for seeking help. When someone is causing harm to themselves or others, the media starts to realize how serious the situation is. Fans and the media mostly supported Lovato, unlike Bynes, and she was able to turn her life around.
Another example of this was recently when Robin Williams tragically committed suicide due to depression. People were shocked and devastated. Many across the world mourned his death and celebrated the great life he had. Instead of bizarre behavior, he suffered privately but he was still mentally ill. Just because Bynes did not reach this level of self-harm does not mean that she does not deserve the same type of sympathy.
Let’s rewind to 2007, when Britney Spears famously shaved off her hair. The media was all over it and it is still constantly joked about today. Similarly to Bynes’ antics, people found humor in the situation where they should have shown sympathy. While not disclosing what disease she had, Spears admitted she suffered from a mental illness. Luckily, that incident was the worst of her and she found help after. Again, why is a desperate call for help funny?
It’s not impossible that Amanda can overcome this. With the proper help, people are able to live with these disorders. As far as we know now, her family has committed her to an LA facility and is being held on an involuntary hold. Most importantly, the media and the public cannot continue to mock Bynes and ridicule her. It’s not going to be easy for her to recover if this continues. She definitely needs all the support and encouragement that she can get. People have got to stop looking at celebrity “train wrecks” as entertainment.
Therefore, moving forward, can we all just pray that she gets the help she needs instead of being disappointed that we won’t get to see any more Twitter rants?