“The Hills: New Beginnings” star Brandon Lee revealed he has struggled with depression and anxiety his whole life, and is now advocating for those with mental health issues.
“I’ve dealt with depression and anxiety my entire life and I’ve been lucky enough to be able to afford treatment for that,” the 23-year-old shared on Instagram Tuesday. “It’s not fun, and untreated…. It doesn’t get better.”
Lee described what he feels during those dark times, saying, “There is no light at the end of the tunnel. You feel alone, helpless, and like there is no way out. You feel like you are drowning. Those sort of feelings can push someone to do anything.”
The reality star, who is the son of Pamela Anderson and rocker Tommy Lee, said he was inspired to speak out after watching the new “Joker” film, starring Joaquin Phoenix.
Lee said the country cannot continue to “pill everyone up” and needs to “do better.”
“We deprive them of counsel, medication, and aid to pay for those,” he added. “We tease them in our schools, outcast them as adults, and we are SURPRISED when people lash out in extreme fashion?? We blame gun laws after mass shootings when we should be looking at the individual?? It’s all backwards.”
“Joker” has been criticized for possibly inciting violence.
Phoenix, who plays the lead character, said in response, “I think that we are capable as an audience to see both of those things simultaneously and experience them and value them.”
Director Todd Phillips added, “We’re making a movie about a fictional character in a fictional world, ultimately, and your hope is that people take it for what it is. You can’t blame movies for a world that is so f–ked up that anything can trigger it.”