You may remember Christy Carlson Romano as the perfectionist daughter on Even Stevens, but she was far from perfect in real life.

Christy struggled silently with depression, binge drinking, and self-harming. She yearned for a normal life as a kid, but in reality spent her days working as a full-time actress and her evenings being tutored. This busy schedule left no time to acquire friendships, and she felt the constant need to be liked. Once Even Stevens had ended, Christy left to attend an Ivy League school, but felt so out of place, she went to rejoin the theater community. “I was highly criticized for my youth, which fueled my desire to prove everybody wrong. I became a bit harder-edged, binge drank more at loud nightclubs, and started to accept the transient natures of love, sex, and friendship”, Christy stated.

She started to self-harm, struggled with her relationships, and abused alcohol for 10 years until she was able to find herself and went back to school. It was there that she met her husband who has helped guide her towards a better path. They have two children now and Christy hasn’t had a drink since before her first pregnancy. She says she’s going to abstain from drinking so she can “make clear-headed decisions” to stay on the right path. She ends her essay by saying that we need to have an understanding of our value of ourselves.

Christy’s personal story shows that just because you’re in the spotlight, doesn’t mean you can’t go through struggles behind the scenes. We’re so proud of Christy for opening up and being so honest and showing that there is hope to overcome your struggles and creating a better life for yourself.

If you are struggling with substance abuse or mental health, know that it’s not too late. Here at Banyan Treatment Centers, we can get you on the right path and guide you to a better tomorrow. Give us a call at 888-966-9413 to learn more.