Ireland Baldwin has entered rehab for what sounds like substance abuse issues. I first saw this story yesterday via Radar and thought the details sounded a bit dramatic. The report said Ireland was “kicking and screaming” (because she didn’t want to miss Coachella) as she entered a cushy Malibu treatment center. She did intake with the help of her mom, Kim Basinger, and checked in over the weekend. Ireland reportedly “did not think that she has a problem but she has been partying non-stop” and only sought treatment after family grew concerned. Ireland must have gotten wind of Radar’s report, which quickly spread to other outlets. She took to Twitter to explain her situation from rehab:
(1) Apparently I’m in rehab for intensive partying soooo I’m just going to lay pretty low for a bit and maybe get some frozen yogurt
(2) I checked myself into Soba for two weeks to just get away for a little bit. I’m not much a party cat but I am here deal with…
(3) some emotional trauma and getting the intensive therapy I needed in order to recover. Someday I’ll feel ready to share my story…
(4) openly without feeling the way I do. Right now I just needed a breather. I needed a chance to work on myself and gather all the tools…
(5) I need to overcome everything that I had been through and rid myself of all the pain I locked away in unreachable places.
[From Ireland Baldwin on Twitter]
Hmm. Radar’s report hinted that Ireland went in for alcohol rehab after “partying non stop.” Ireland seems to be poking fun at the “intensive partying” claim in her tweets, but it’s hard to read without context (or emoji). She claims to be getting some heavy therapy for emotional issues, which could be due to anything. Perhaps alcohol or drugs, or maybe it’s because she and Angel Haze probably broke up. They had a very intense romance last year, and they both suddenly stopped mentioning each other on social media.
I was wondering how Ireland was doing last week after reports that she would attend acting school in NYC despite saying, “I absolutely hate New York.” She also (oddly) changed her Instagram name to “Beatrix Kiddo.” Those details are likely incidental. Let’s hope Ireland gets the help she needs in rehab. Where’s Alec Baldwin in all this? He hasn’t said anything.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet & WENN
Do I just not understand how therapy works? Can you really accomplish much in two weeks?
I assume that after the intense inpatient treatment period, she’d continue therapy on an outpatient basis.
But what I don’t get is the idea of checking into rehab for “emotional issues.” I thought rehab was for substance abuse.
I think rehab might have a nicer ‘ring’ to it, since it makes whatever the issues are sound self-limiting, or at least addressable in short order, instead of a lifelong mental illness, or something that like. Who wants to say they are being admitted for inpatient mental health issues? There is still an unfortunate stigma.
Since alcohol or drug abuse can be self-medication, it’s quite possible there is comorbidity.
An aside: I don’t see why Alec or Kim would or should say anything about it. They owe the public no explanation in dealing with this.
Kiddo, hmm. I guess that makes sense. The stigma is such a shame. If someone was being admitted to the hospital for chemo or another non-mental health medical treatment, people wouldn’t bat an eye but god forbid anyone enter the hospital for mental health issues. As if they aren’t just as biological. Rant over.
Several years ago I spent 3 days in the Psych Ward of my local hospital (long story, but I am Bi-polar), the looks on the faces of the nurses and doctors in the ER said it all. Disgust. I was treated like a criminal. Two major mental institutions have just closed in my town. My bff’s father killed himself. People just DON’T GET IT!!!!!
BengalCat2000, thanks for sharing that and I’m sorry.
BengalCat2000, that’s awful. People really don’t get it and it kills me. As a doctor once told me, we are still in the Dark Ages when it comes to mental health/neurological disorders.
I could see her being in a bad place emotionally if Angel Haze was her first real love, you know? She might be really heart-broken, but if she’s prone to depression or without the proper coping mechanism, she could really benefit from serious therapy.
I’m not gonna fault the girl for being proactive and addressing the problem in a productive, helpful way. Good for her.
On another note, I don’t understand how anyone can hate New York. I wouldn’t want to live there, but it’s a f*cking fantastic city.
Thanks you guys ☺ I was lucky because my family and friends were there for me. But the saddest part were the other patients who didn’t have outside support. They were some of the most interesting people I’ve ever met and I think of them often. Those are the people I grieve for.
I’m in a great place now, but that experience will always bother me.
Eta, @kitten, NYC is my favorite place in America, I’m so with you on that one!
BengalCat2000: Thank you for sharing your personal story. I’m so sorry you had such a horrible experience, and do hope you are travelling ok. I don’t understand how so many people can choose to remain ignorant about an issue that is very likely to touch them at some stage – either personally or through family or friends. It also bothers me that health “professionals” could treat a patient in such an appalling manner. Hang in there, BC.
New York has great characteristics, no doubt, but it also epitomizes the dog eat dog mentality. There is opportunity for many things, a lot of good, but it also can include being beaten down depending on where you are in life, how much money you have, what connections you have and to what degree you have achieved; all of that could color your perception. It has also become a less hospitable place for individuals who make less in salary. Although, admittedly, I doubt the money element was the issue for Ireland.
“It has also become a less hospitable place for individuals who make less in salary.”
I don’t doubt it, but you could be describing Boston, San Francisco or any number of cities here.
As far as dog-eat-dog, yes I can see it, but I wonder if it’s any more dog-eat-dog than Hollywood/ LA, which is where she presumably lives?
I understand not wanting to live in NYC (I couldn’t) but it’s odd to me that someone wouldn’t be able to appreciate everything that it offers. Oh well.
@Bengal
Thanks for sharing.
I found it particularly poignant on 2 fronts.
I work in the mental health field which has increasingly choked into a stranglehold due to lack of facilities- they’ve closed and multitude of other reasons.
In 2006, (the part of mental health only closed a year later), I checked into a mental health institution that originally catered to those with psychological and psychiatric disorders and diseases.
I suffer from major depression with crippling episodes of low functioning , panic disorder without agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder. I went in for two weeks for meds adjustment and intensive one on one and group therapy.
It’s absolutely atrocious whats happened to those who need constant care, meds, weekly therapy, etc. There’s no place to go unless you have superior health insurance or are wealthy.
I’m a therapist. I worked hard . I admire your strength.
Also, I have two immediate cousins that suffer from bi polar I. Some family member’s are absolutely ruthless in comments including one of my own sibling’s whose is a practicing er medical doctor in new york city.
It absolutely astounds me every time.
@ stella, Hugs Hugs Hugs! Depression runs in my family as well, along with suicide. My insurance sucks and it’s a constant battle. However, I have hope that insight into mental health will get better. But the judgement from those who don’t understand can be debillitating (sp?). Stay Strong. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
@ violet, Thanks for your perspective. Unfortunately my experience, I believe, was due to my state ‘s massive lack of funding /education for mental illness. I don’t want to go into detail about what I went through , but the resources were not available, and it was obvious by the staff. I’m doing well now, and I very much appreciate your kind words ☺
Kiddo, you absolutely hit the nail on the head. I have a personality disorder and I am currently in group therapy. Because this personality disorder also has other symptoms such as eating disorder, alcohol abuse, and/or depression, often a lot of people would say when entering intensive outpatient treatment (maybe 2 weeks-3 months), and then continue outpatient. I’ve met a lot of people who suffer from complex mental and personality disorder that are often dealt through destructive behavior such as partying, substance abuse, and/or eating disorder, it’s always assumed that substance abuse is the problem, rather than a symptom of a bigger problem.
I think Ireland has a lot of emotional issues to work through that she has been dealing through partying non-stop, and she’s finally seeking the treatment she needs.
I’ve never been to New York but I’ve heard it has become very gentrified and has lost its character. Once I heard that I lost all interest in ever going there.
@Bengal cat….I am.a mental health professional who has worked in .ER/hospitals for years. Honestly, I found your description of medical staff showing “disgust” because of your MI very strange. Unfortunately, psych issues are a very common reason for ER visits and hospital admissions. They are no more unusual than broken bones, car accidents, high fevers, ect. Medical staff are trained to deal with MI and especially in this day and age, it is not really viewed as a strange condition or something to be looked down upon. Of course there will always be that one rude doctor or nurse who is inappropriate toward psych patients, but these staff tend to behave like that toward all patients and not just the ones with MI.
You didn’t specify what the staff actually did, (other than your perception that they were looking at you with disgust) and I do wonder if you are just projecting because of the nature of your hospitalization. Again, this is very atypical behavior for most medical professionals who are generally exposed to MI in some way, each and every time they report for work. Please realize that the majority of hospital staff do have the best interest of their patients at heart and work to make them feel comfortable and cared for. I sincerely hope you are doing well and wish you the best of luck….bipolar is such a bitch.
You’ve heard it became gentrified and lost interest? Ok… That sounds like a very uninformed opinion. What do you know about NYC’s character if you’ve never been there? You’re missing out, but that’s your prerogative. I just hope you put a little more thought into whatever other strong opinions you have.
Could be drugs, but how she worded it, something bad/traumatic happened to her. Sounds a bit more dramatic than a breakup. Well good luck to her.
Just having rage-oholic Alec Baldwin for a father would be enough to send anyone into rehab to deal with emotional issues.
She looks so much like her mum in that last pic. I never saw the resemblance so clearly before.
I concur on both fronts but that mouth shape is all Alec’s.
Angel Haze has been mentioning dark stuff in her Twitter but nothing about Ireland for weeks.
Wouldn’t be surprised if her ex has something to do with this. I heard she was abusive with her girlfriends.
Best not to rush and judge something you know very little about. It looks like the relationship could be over anyway as she’s been seen to be hanging around with Justin Bieber lately looking at media outlets. He isn’t exactly the best person to be friends with anyway.
I think the girl who’s always hanging out with Bieber is her cousin, Hailey. She’s also friends with Kylie and Kendall Jenner.
Where’s Alec? With his new family. I guess I shouldn’t rush to judgement. Honestly, neither Alec nor Kim seem like the most stable individuals. I wish Ireland luck in recovery.
Yeah I agree about Alec and Kim not being the most stable people. I don’t think Ireland is doomed by any means (like say poor Bobbi Kristina). But having a mom with anxiety issues and social phobias and a dad with rage issues may make a kid’s life a little harder to hoe. That is, she may not have the best coping mechanisms or she might have a propensity toward those issues too. Therapy may do her some good regardless.
Please. Kim’s anxiety disorder is on a different planet from Alecs well documented physical and psychological abusiveness. Besides the piece makes it clear that Kim Basinger is very much a part of this decision to get her daughter help.
Oh of course @TheOtherPinky. No disrespect to Kim at all who suffers from a serious illness. I just wonder how much Ireland has been exposed to, been influenced by or even inherited. Therapy can only be a good thing for her.
I know she’s supposed to be a model, but I don’t find her exceptionally pretty. She reminds me a bit of the Willis girls or the Smith kids; ordinary people put in extraordinary situations because of their parentage. Sort of like the Royals in Europe.
I’ve never found Ireland particularly attractive either, but there a picture of her and KB, from a few years ago, before she colored her hair to that platinum blonde color. she had beautiful brunette hair. It looked soooooooo much better on her. She looked really pretty. That blonde, just washes her complexion out…anyway, I’m sure, with Alec and Kim as parents and all the crazy she went through with that family when she was young, she probably does have issues. Hope she gets well and finds herself….
I hope she gets help and the yogurt she wanted.
Me too. Frozen yogurt is awesome.
Is this the child Alec Baldwin called a disgusting pig or something awful and abusive like that? Yeah, that kind of stuff sticks with you whether you want it to or not. When that story broke my heart broke for this poor girl. There may be other factors in her life that also contribute to deep emotional trauma, but I think working on some of the abuse suffered from her jack wad dad is probably a good place to start.
Yes, imagine having him for a father. And the pig comment was public. Imagine what he says to her in private. I know your children can probably make you angrier than anyone, for many reasons, but calling your daughter a pig? Unimaginable.
If I’m remembering right, the only reason the “pig” comment even got out, was because her mother let it out. It was a voicemail on her phone. Which makes me think that both parents are off. I would’ve called him and cussed him out for calling her a pig, NOT release it to everyone–embarrassing my daughter. I remember a year or so ago, Ireland said that she still gets asked about it.
Oh, man, they are so screwed up. Poor kid. You’re right – I had forgotten that part of the story.
That was one of the ugliest divorces in Hollywood. I’m going to be charitable and say that it brought out the worst in Baldwin and Basinger. However, Baldwin’s the one with the long, storied history of being an epic a-hole.
@Virginia, but that would be like saying “The only reason the world knows somebody was abused is because somebody else said it”.
No, he shouldn’t have left that message. He is abusive and the world knows it because HE did it.
@Lola
I’m saying that her mother should have dealt with it privately. As in, show the recording to lawyers to file for supervised visits, or to get Alec into some kind of therapy for his anger. What happened when the recording was released? Alec went on an apology tour, wrote a book about how men get the shaft in divorces. He’s STILL a rage monster. It was only last year or so that he was going after people on twitter and the paps…….
All I’m saying is that it seems like neither of her parents acted in HER best interest, for many, many years. Alec shouldn’t have left that message, and Kim shouldn’t have released it to the world.
This girl is thirsty for some fame.
Very thirsty for fame and this is a ploy for attention which is why it was announced.
Exactly. Her life is lived on twitter.
Sounds like her step-mother, huh.
The perfect way to sum her up.
Team I hope Ireland gets the help she needs to deal with her stuff. She’s at the right age and if she’s serious about bringing up some of that old pain out in the presence of people who can help her handle it, it can only help her. Good luck, Kid.
Agree with you about her being at a good age for this. How many people spend their adulthood self-medicating for trauma and/or undiagnosed mental illness? A loved one of mine recently went to rehab and they did an entire Trauma Week where they addressed anything that was “less than nurturing” from birth to age 17. Imagine the hurt and pain that we all walk around with from those things! I was thrilled that this family member was able to work through that to hopefully be free of the pain any of that was causing in his young life. Really, we should all be so lucky. I hope Ireland takes full advantage of it.
Doesn’t surprise me that the poor kid has issues. Her upbringing must have been pretty stressful as we all know what a beast her father can be, but her mother is…shall we say…high strung. When they broke up they literally bashed each other publicly for years, used their daughter as a weapon, both trying to turn her against the other. I hope she pulls herself together and doesn’t turn into another victim of Hollywood parenting.
Gosh when you put it that way it reminds me of how utterly selfish those two were, never seeming to consider her feelings or the long term repercussions of their behavior. Poor girl.
Yes, these two gave a master class in how NOT to handle a divorce with children. Both of them let their vitriol for each other get in the way of sensible, loving parenting–AND did it all on a public stage. Always felt bad for this girl being a pawn in all that.
She was the first Instagram celeb kid to get her modeling career going, and for awhile, it looked to be on the upswing until Kendall and Gigi came along. She used to be apart of that crew too, but then when her career went south. They went poof.
wow. She described exactly what I was going through. Keeping things bottled up, letting the past interfere, emotional trauma, emotional trauma that can lead to substance/alcohol abuse or “acting out”. Sometimes one needs a break from life to regroup. No snark here. #teamireland.
Fair play to her. If I had the money and job security to just take a breather for a couple of weeks, I would.
I guess its better she sorts for “emotional issues” out now, instead of going down the Lohan path. But rehab really , it kind of pisses me of these luxury hotel with pych help available, mental health wards are no walk in the park,. Im sure the PPl which have been suffering from years of dealing with mental health issues would kill to be inpatient at “celeb rehab” instead being treat like a animal or a criminal in the public health system. Do a few day in a psych ward and Im sure you wont have to take a break to do a “breather”
I read on Tumblr that she and Angel had a nastyyyy break up. But Angel is like the sort of muted version of Azealia Banks so, assume what you will. Her music is amazing though. Hope Ireland gets the help she needs. Seems that all of her ‘friends’ (Jenners, Haily Baldwin etc.) disappeared when things headed south.
Can someone actually go to a rehab center and say “I’m not here for substance abuse, I just need some therapy and a couple of weeks to decompress”? Would a rehab center even accept her if she didn’t have issues with substance abuse? Because I would imagine it would be a distraction and bad for the others that are there to get sober.
Yes they will. I only know that because a friend of mine just went to one. I was suprised when I looked the place up online and it was a rehab center. Shes dealing with some emotional trauma, nothing to do with drugs or alcohol. It probably depends on the place, A place that is mostly for detox may not.
I barely see her modeling. Does she have much of a modeling career these days? It seems like what she does is sit on twitter. That’s her career. All the options in life from a well-to-do family, and she’s just a narcissistic addicted twitter user living her life on twitter.
She’s still young. I hope she matures and evolves and gets off twitter for feeding her ego and validating her.
There were many stories years ago about her mother’s severe mental health issues, not just anxiety, much more serious. Plus the dad is a rage-aholic. She may have more going on than we know. I’m happy to hear Alec hasn’t said anything, it would be very disappointing if he did. I hope she gets the help she needs. Living in hollywood and running in the circles she runs in can’t be good for anyone’s mental health period.
I think celeb kids brought up in Hollywood/LA isn’t a great thing. If she had been raised in New York, maybe she would have escaped running with the rich Hollywood offspring of celebs who many seem shallow and directionless.
I have experience with rehab. In serious rehab you do not have any outside communication for the first two weeks at least if not longer. So if you are tweeting that is not rehab
I feel bad for her, having Alec Baldwin for a dad has got to suck, not to mention just trying to grow up in Hollywood. It sounds, from her tweets like some really specific thing happened to trigger this.
On a more shallow note, I don’t get how you could hate NY city either. I lived there for awhile and it is crazy expensive- but with money and resources…..Also, is it me, or is Ireland really really tall?
She is indeed very tall, well over 6ft
I ran into her in a store a couple years ago. She’s a lot taller than me and I’m 5’9″.
Yes i remember reading she’s close to 6″ if not over. Too lazy to google but I do remember thinking it was odd when she started “modeling”
Honestly, having Kim and Alec for parents, horrible divorce, scathing accusations and hatetred, I can’t see this girl escaping without emotional issues. Why would Alec Baldwin insert himself in her current situation when he’s likely a large part of the problem? I feel sorry for her. Her mother is emotionally unstable and her father is a raging lunatic. Can you imagine what it was like for her growing up in the middle of their battle? I’m surprised she’s as together as she is.
I don’t doubt she feels like she needs some outside perspective, i.e., therapy. She had some interesting parents, that’s for sure. She also is likely feeling the strain from thinking she was going to be a model, and ride some celebrity parent coattails and that hasn’t panned out. Likely, she just feels lost. Like, what is she doing with her life? What’s she going to be when she grows up? So many of these celeb kids get no education, no preparation for a career or becoming something other than tabloid fixtures.
So does this mean she didn’t really have an appendix issue last week when she was rushed to the hospital? I’m going to guess it has something to do with this rehab stint…
It can’t help that her father is remarried and has a two new kids and those kids are probably getting the dad she never had. Alec Baldwin is probably a much better dad now than he was when Ireland was young. That might also be the reason why she hates NYC. Her dad and famewhore stepmom parading around with their new family. And yes, I may be projecting my own issues onto this situation. 😉
Lol, yes, I think a lot of people can relate. Like when I was younger, my dad was REALLY strict. We could only watch tv for two hours a day–if those two hours occurred during a time when we were eating dinner, etc, then we couldn’t make it up. There was no negotiating over bedtime. We weren’t allowed to do anything that interfered with church, no going to school dances, etc. Basically, no questioning any of his decisions. However, he realized that he was being an a-hole and changed. And it’s a hard thing for ME to see my younger sister get to go do all the things that I never got to do–go to dances, spend the night over someone else’s house without worrying about having to get home for church, and not have such strict punishments.
Or even just having him around–because when I was her age, he was always at work and school–he would get home at 9 pm every week day. And even now that he’s gone to graduate school, he still makes a lot more time to do things with my younger brother and sister, than he did with us older kids.
So yes, lol, we’re both projecting. 🙂
This sounds like my upbringing…only I didn’t consider it “REALLY STRICT”. We had catechism on Thursday nights and church on Sunday. Sleepovers were allowed on Satuday nights but only if our friend went to church with us, or we with them. Events that conflicted with church were not attended. That is true in my household to this day and I’m still shocked when people schedule events or sports games on Sunday mornings. Also, our tv was restricted. Two hours a day was more than enough, as I look back now. TV went off when we sat down to dinner at six and Saturday mornings, the TV went off at noon and my father directed us outside to play so we could “learn new interests and skills”. We never questioned or talked back to our dad—wouldn’t consider it.
My parents were truly awesome and I’m so glad I was raised that way. They loved us so much!
I think you are projecting. She moved to NY to be closer to her dad, was one of the reasons.
She has posted comments and photos and seems to love her dad and his new wife. She was excited for their marriage. She was very excited about a new sister and happy for her father. I think the problem with Alec was when Kim divorced him she moved back to LA and Alec couldn’t be a constant in her life since they lived on opposite coasts. He was involved in her life and saw her often, but it’s not the same as living in the same city and growing up with your father in your life every week..
Do teenagers who aren’t celebrities still smoke? I imagine some do.
All of Hollywood smokes so no shock she is smoking but the general population has been quitting smoking for years. You know these Hollywood people love to brag about their healthy diets and their organic foods and all the exercise they do yet they smoke.
You would be surprised. Smoking became very popular again with the younger generation. It shocked me.
I think it’s sensible for Ireland to do so if she is feeling overwhelmed. It’s entirely more appropriate than evading the issue and having a public meltdown. One question though; why promote this via Twitter? If you wanted to quietly slip away for 2 weeks, why even announce it publicly? Just do it!
Still tweeting while she’s in rehab?
I don’t see Alec mellowing out. Once Hilaria dumps him (he is what– twice her age?) and moves on, he will rage again.
If anything, I see Alec being more controlling. After all, Kim was his peer, an Oscar winner. Hilaria is much younger, he feels pressure to keep up with her.
Rageholics do not age with grace and humility.
Poor Ireland must get crumbs of affection from her dad.
No matter how wealthy or famous someone may be, they can still suffer from mental issues and/or substance abuse. My son is on the Aspergers spectrum and is bipolar and he struggles to lead a normal life. He is responsible about taking his meds and does the very best he can to cope with the “normal” world. He’s fortunate to have health insurance and access to health care services. Many others are not so fortunate.
I have Aspergers and don’t want to a live a normal life. I find what passes as normal among neuro typicals to be so stone cold boring that it sucks the life out of me. I also find the payoff I get from socializing isn’t enough to justify the effort. Screw normal. You can have it.