James Caan health: Star on depression after loss – ‘Youre in a hallway and you cant get
This Morning: Dr Chris reveals symptoms of his depression
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
The actor, perhaps most famous for his role as Sonny in The Godfather, had a rough time after his sister died from leukemia in 1981. He described in an interview with the New York Times in 1991 how between 1982 and 1987 the star struggled with depression and used cocaine. He has spoken recently in further detail about this patch of his life.
Talking to Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz recently last July about the ordeal, he recalled: “I had a bad bout with cocaine for a little while.
“I lost my sister when it happened.
“And she was like, I don’t know, when I lost her, I couldn’t, I couldn’t handle it, I didn’t know what to do.”
Luckily the talented actor was saved from his decline in 1989 when his friend Rob Reiner offered him a role in the thriller Misery.
He said: “I had some wonderful people, like Rob Reiner and those guys, God bless them. That was big-time winners for me.”
The star said there are several films that flopped during this period that he never watched.
He even walked off the set of The Holcroft Covenant, a 1985 film, and was replaced by British acting legend Michael Caine.
DON’T MISS
He said in the New York Times interview: “There are pictures I made that I still haven’t seen.
“I was depressed when I was making them. In the middle of some of these pictures, I kept thinking, ‘What am I doing here?’ It’s like you’re in a hallway and you can’t get out.”
The doubts Caan was getting about his career match the symptoms of clinical depression as listed by the NHS.
According to the health body, symptoms include having no motivation or interest in things.
The mental health condition can also lead people to feel hopeless and helpless, have low self-esteem, and feel no enjoyment in life – especially from the things that once made one feel happy.
Other health ordeals that have struck James Caan over the years include a health scare in 2015, which saw him rushed to hospital with chest pain, according to TMZ.
Luckily the pain wasn’t a heart attack. He was suffering from a chest infection.
In February 2020, the star was seen being pushed in a wheelchair by his son Jacob.
Insiders told the MailOnline Caan had been recovering from a recent back operation.
Grief and depression
Grief and depression can be tricky to distinguish. They share many characteristics.
However, grief is a natural response to loss. People who are grieving find that their sadness comes and goes but they can still look forwards to the future, the NHS explains.
“In contrast, people who are depressed constantly feel sad. They find it difficult to enjoy anything or be positive about the future,” it explains.
If you think you might be depressed or know somebody that is suffering from depression, it’s important to talk to people about it.
You can contact the Samaritans on 116 123 and [email protected].
Source: Read Full Article