As investigators speculate about Anne Heche's state of mind at the time of her crash, the "Psycho" actor hasn't been shy about sharing the story behind her mental health and substance abuse issues in the past. During an exclusive "20/20" interview with Barbara Walters in 2001, Heche revealed that she spent the first 31 years of her life in the throes of mental illness because her father sexually abused her as a child. In fact, for years, the actor thought she was two different people — a coping mechanism she developed in response to her father's advances. "I had a fantasy world that I escaped to. I called my other personality Celestia," Heche told Walters. "I believed I was from that world. I believed I was from another planet. I think I was insane." This ultimately led to her subsequent struggle with substance abuse.
According to an ABC News report from 2000, Heche was hospitalized for a "medical problem" after she showed up at a farmhouse in rural western Fresno County, seemingly intoxicated and confused, and made "strange statements" to the residents who answered the door. "She proceeded to tell me that she was God and was going to take everyone back to heaven with her in some sort of spaceship," the responding deputy described in his report.
While the authorities have not yet determined if drugs or alcohol played a role in Heche's fiery crash, TMZ noted that there appeared to be "a bottle with a red cap in the cupholder next to the gearshift," which could have been "a bottle of alcohol."
If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
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