Keira Knightley a post-traumatic stress disorder was diagnosed at the age of 22. The diagnosis followed a mental breakdown, which according to the actress was caused by constant criticism.
The British started acting early on and had smaller roles in films as a child, including in Star Wars film The Phantom Menace. She broke through Bend it Like Beckham in 2002, and was soon cast in the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise and Love Actually.
“That was incredible, it was hit after hit after hit, but I only heard the criticism,” says the now 33-year-old in a podcast of The Hollywood Reporter. “In addition, I was very aware that I had no idea what I was doing, I did not know my profession, I knew it worked sometimes what I did, but I could not send it.”
On her 22nd she psychologically ended up in a difficult period. “I had a depression, I had to take a year off and was eventually diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder.”
For her therapist her situation was unique, Knightley recalls. “She told me that she normally always gets people who think they are being followed and everyone talks about them, and I was the first person who actually was.”