Mischa Barton may have portrayed the Californian dream both onscreen in The OC and off as a young up and coming celebrity in her days during and post the show, but it turns out Barton's life was a lot more troubled than it looked from the outside after her partying got out of control.
Talking to People magazine, Barton spoke about her lifestyle that lead to her breakdown, saying that for herself and those around her 'We thought, 'Work hard, play hard'. She also spoke about her weight issues which she was criticised over constantly. 'It was always, 'She's too skinny, she must be sick. Then it was, 'She's too big.' I was never the right weight.'
Mischa then struggled to cope with fame in her younger years as an actress and her partying spiralled out of control. In 2009 she blacked out after having taken a sedative and ended up at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center psychiatric ward in Los Angeles under the involuntary 5150 hold, the same one that Britney and Amanda Bynes have found themselves under, after threatening to kill herself.
Talking to about those difficult days, she said: 'It was a full-on breakdown. I was under enormous pressure.' Having visited our shores for theatre productions such as Steel Magnolias and other appearances, Mischa is looking forward to the future and believes her previous experiences have helped her grow into the person she is now, adding: 'I've learned a lot. I'm stronger now.'
