Mischa Barton was the star of The O.C. and also had roles in several films. She seemed to have it all at a young age, but the pressure of being a young star proved too much for her and in 2009 she was committed to a psychiatric ward after threatening to commit suicide. After her stay in the hospital, she seemed to disappear from the spotlight. She has finally come to terms with her past and recently decided to talk about her breakdown, what led up to it and how it changed her life.

“I was never suicidal,” she told People. “I was just overworked and depressed. But one slip of the tongue in a heightened moment and you find yourself in that situation.” Barton claims that she was booked solid on jobs and was never able to drop them regardless of how hard she tried. She was also partying hard with other young stars such as Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie. Eventually her lifestyle caught up with her and she found herself stressed out and depressed.

She started taking Xanax to deal with her stress and eventually blacked out and suffered the breakdown. After being released from the hospital, Barton decided to stay out of the spotlight and find herself. She says that the breakdown and her stay in the hospital actually helped push her in the right direction. Barton gained weight, no longer drinks heavily or abuses medication and her partying days are behind her.

At 27, Mischa Barton will return to acting in the film I Will Follow You Into The Dark She also says she has come to terms with the media scrutiny that had troubled her as a teenager and led to her stress and depression. With her troubled past behind her, Barton is ready to take on the world.

“I needed to take this time for me,” Barton said. “I’ve learned a lot. I’m stronger now and excited for what’s ahead.”

Image from Wikimedia Commons.