In the last few months several high profile people have discussed their mental health journey. In an upcoming episode of Red Table Talk, Paris Jackson opened about her experience growing up as the child of a world famous pop star. Paris said that she suffers from PTSD and often gets auditory hallucinations that are triggered by the click of the camera. Paris said that she has been going to therapy to help her cope. Below are a few more highlights via NBC News:
“I experience auditory hallucinations sometimes with camera clicks and severe paranoia and have been going to therapy for a lot of things but that included,” Jackson says. “I’ll hear a trash bag rustling and flinch in panic.” She adds: “I think it’s standard PTSD.”
During the show’s introduction, Smith says she met Jackson on the set of mom Jada Pinkett Smith’s TV show “Hawthorne.” Smith and Jackson soon forged a bond over growing up with parents in the spotlight, and over a love of music, modeling, and issues like mental health, sexuality and body image. One way Jackson says she keeps some privacy is by asking people in her home to sign non-disclosure agreements.
Jackson, who has dated men and women, tells Smith that while there is tension with some of her family members over her sexuality, she has leaned on her brothers — Prince and Prince Michael II — and longtime family friend Omer Bhatti.
“They’ve always been super-supportive,” she says, noting that to better connect with his sister, Prince Jackson in high school joined a student-run club that unites LGBTQ+ and allied youth. “Not a lot of people can say they have siblings that support them like that.”
In 2020, Paris Jackson and then-boyfriend Gabriel Glenn — who formed the acoustic duo The Soundflowers — had a docu-series on Facebook Watch called “Unfiltered,” which provided a glimpse into her private life. Jackson revealed self-harm and suicide attempts in her testimonials, and said music was a way to channel her pain. She released her debut solo album “Wilted” in November.
It is really sad to hear that Paris was struggling with suicidal ideation. I am sure losing her father at a young age didn’t help either. I am proud of her for being willing to open up about her struggles and am glad that Jada and her family gave her that platform. Listening to her and Prince Harry say that the paparazzi caused them irreparable trauma as children makes me feel that there need to be better laws around children and the paparazzi. Children should not be accosted by strangers. They shouldn’t have to worry about people flying drones into their homes and backyard either. I am happy that Paris is getting the support that she needs. And I am happy that she is connected to the Smith family. It seems that they are very supportive of her. It was also great to read that her brothers supported her when she came out. There really is nothing like having the love and support of your family. I hope Paris continues to work through her trauma. I personally love her voice and am looking forward to checking out her music.
Photos credit: Avalon.red
The smith family still seems manipulative and powerful. They just present themselves in a less threatening way. How they groomed that teenager to be jada’s side piece. The Scientology. It’s a lot.
But good for Paris to find her way through life.
Yeah, my first thought was ehh, maybe there are better places to find support than from this bunch.
I remember people doubting and dismissing Harry when he first spoke about the effects of hearing the camera click. He suffered a lot during his life. Michael really tried to protect his children but it would seem it still wasn’t enough just because he was such a huge star and then he died. It’s good that she getting therapy for all the trauma she has suffered and she has support from her siblings.
I agree that MJ did try to protect them as well as he could. PJ has been through a horrible set of circumstances, given that he father died when they were all so young and that they had to live with their grandmother. Though she is the one of only few decent within the Jackson family, where as I side eye some of the others. But Janet and her siblings seem to have each other’s backs and that is a wonderful thing for her.
They were so young when he died. I wish that there was a law in which they could try to control the paparazzi as they are incredibly vipers when it comes to getting those money shots. It seems life as a famous person is not all glamour, and you take quite a bit of abuse from certain professions, even your own!
Um…are we forgetting that MJ literally DANGLED one of his children over a hotel balcony when they were a baby to “show” him to the fans and press assembled below?
The only thing I want to say is that MJ tried to shield his children from the spotlight in every way, and he was right.
I hope Paris can find a way to talk about this.
I once accidentally walked into a paparazzi frenzy (I happened to be walking by right when a celeb came out of her apartment building). When celebs compare paps to locusts, they aren’t being hyperbolic. It literally felt like getting attacked by a swarm of insects, so I can believe it being triggering for someone to have to endure that everyday.
Me too! I happened upon one with Britney Spears when she was coming out of a pizza place in front of my apartment building. It was horrifying. For a moment I thought it was a SWAT team or an episode of COPS.
It’s awful for especially children of celebrities but it is WAY less than when she was a kid when it was at an all time high. A lot of outlets (JUSTJared,People,US Weekly) don’t even publish kids unless they are at a premiere etc. I remember MJ had the kids with bags over their head and until he died I wasn’t sure what any of his kids looked like. And because of his death they were thrown into a public nightmare for years it seemed. The gossip press can be awful for kids but our US first amendment will keep our country from controlling it unlike say, France or even Britain.
That’s true. It’s a shame that he could only hide their faces, but they still had to endure the constant, intrusive presence.
I would think many many other factors also come in to play on causing her mental health struggles. I don’t envy MJ’s kids for a minute, they have been through a lot in many ways. Paparazzi is probably the one that’s easier for her to talk about in public than family trauma.
I really relate to her here. I also have PTSD from childhood, and little things can send you through the roof. A car door slamming, a truck going by… it can be incredibly frustrating. You need lots of coping skills, lots of therapy, and acceptance that every day some of your energy gets drained away just maintaining your well-being with PTSD. She’s a lot younger than I was when I finally got this diagnosis and the right help. I hope this will make it so she can have less and less severe symptoms and have more years of good mental health down the line.
Very well said, Piratewench. You sensitively addressed something that feels true. As just another member of the public who has heard stories about her family members, there could be more than one reason for her mental health struggles, and this would be the easiest to talk about publicly… and to admit to herself. I also wish you the best in your own health.
Same, piratewench. My ptsd took years to diagnose, I wish I’d known what I was dealing with at a younger age. Hoping our girl Paris will be dancing in the sunshine.
To all who struggle w ptsd, cptsd, Solidarity. Love. Peace.
Thank you for this, Lady O.
Thank you @Piratewench I so appreciate your post. I’m hoping that this year I can finally find a good psychotherapist who can officially diagnose my PTSD so that I can take steps to address it. I work with an amazing therapist but she does not have the certification to diagnose this even though we know I have it, amongst other things. I’m approaching 50 and like @nicegirl I wish I’d been able to diagnose earlier. There is so much that I beat myself up about on a daily basis or work myself into the ground to disappear into work in order to cope. I’m praying that for the second half of my life, I will have the support and tools to be able to move on from the traumas.
I happened to be in NYC for a job interview when Heath Ledger was found dead there. The paparazzi are gross and it’s like they’re out for blood. Of course she and probably a lot of other celebs actually do have PTSD from this. It’s essentially being publicly, legally stalked.
I truly can’t imagine what she’s been through in her life so far. I do hope she has a good support system.
Sadly I realize that we are part of the culture that fuels that paparazzi frenzy. These sites and magazines live off our interest in celebrities and everything around them so we should also evaluate what we consume. Hopefully more restrictions will be put into place regarding children. This poor girl had little chance because of the circus surrounding MJ and also all of his issues. She definitely did not have a conventional upbringing!
PJack always strikes me as being sensitive, intelligent, and deeply troubled. as an LGBTQ+ person with cPTSD myself, my heart goes out to her for her struggles. i find her a sympathetic person– especially dealing with all of this her entire life, at such a young age.
It’s a symbiotic relationship between stars and paps. The paps that are annoying and rude are the same ones used to promote a film, album, appearance, etc.
Perhaps blaming her ‘father’ would be a better fit. MJ could have left his kids out of the spotlight but he was too busy trying to appear like a family man. And now that she has her own choices to make, she could make the choice to disappear from public life. She could simply move to Iowa and be another bottled blond at the Piggly Wiggly. It can be done.
He was the biggest star in the world, there was no way to keep them out of sight.