There seems to be a new headline every week; another actor or musician whose life has seemingly gone completely off the rails, as evidenced by drugs, alcohol, or bizarre behavior. Suicide attempts and overdoses, hate-filled rants and the entitled behavior of spoiled brats, these seem to be the hallmarks of celebrity. These behaviors are found in regular folks, too, of course, but celebrities, due to lives spent in the spotlight, seem to dominate these behaviors.
A question we must ask, though, is what causes these very public breakdowns? Is it a byproduct of celebrity, the inevitable conclusion when one is surrounded by an abundance of money and people willing to grant every whim and wish? Is it a simple case of ego run amuck? If so, why do the non-rich and famous experience similar afflictions?
Perhaps the celebrity breakdowns witnessed by the public have a cause rooted not in celebrity, but in science.
