Actress Heather Locklear has emerged from her stint in an Arizona rehab facility, where she was allegedly be treated for anxiety and depression. Locklear began a quiet downward spiral earlier this year after her psychiatrist called 911 in March to report his fear that Heather was suicidal. Initially, Locklear’s rep denied the incident, calling it a misunderstanding. But in June, she quietly checked herself in for treatment. Four weeks later, she’s out, and according to friends is feeling like her old self again.

After successfully completing four weeks of treatment for anxiety and depression, Heather Locklear is back home.

“Heather’s feeling really great,” says a close friend. “And she looks beautiful, just radiant.”

While the actress’s recovery is “a work in progress,” Locklear seems rejuvenated by her month away, says the friend. “She told a really funny story and she laughed from her core,” says the pal, who has seen Locklear since she returned home last weekend. “That’s when I knew she was going to be fine. I think that’s the best part of all – it’s so nice to hear her laugh.”

During her time at the Arizona facility, Locklear, 46, remained under doctors’ care while getting therapeutic spa treatments, riding horses and spending quality time alone. Her spirits were lifted by two visits from boyfriend Jack Wagner.

Since she checked herself in on June 19, Locklear has enjoyed the support of her ex, Bon Jovi rocker Richie Sambora. Their daughter Ava, 10, spent the last few weeks with Sambora but is now with her mom. Locklear is most excited, says the source, to be “back home with Ava.”

[From People]

According to reports, Heather was being treated for depression shortly after her breakup with Richie Sambora. Sometimes depression medication has some scary side effects, one of them being suicidal thoughts. It sounds like Heather needed some more intense therapy to help her. But do spa treatments and horseback riding really work?

Best wishes to Heather on her continued recovered- and most of all, best wishes to her daughter. Between the nasty divorce, her father dating her mom’s former friend and then getting busted for DUI, and now her mom dealing with depression, this kid has had a rough time recently. Maybe she should be the one getting the spa treatments and pony rides.

Heather Locklear is shown out at The Ivy on 5/14/08. Credit: WENN

In March it was reported that Heather Locklear was suffering from severe depression and possibly alcoholism. The rumors were quickly swept under the rug by her publicist, but it quickly became clear that they were actually legitimate. Heather’s doctor called 911 on March 9th after talking with the former Melrose Place actress. The conversation left him worried that she might overdose on antidepressants. Paramedics arrived at her home, and after ten minutes decided she was okay and did not take her to the hospital.

Heather has now checked herself into a facility in Arizona to deal with her depression and anxiety.

Heather Locklear is seeking treatment for psychological issues at an Arizona facility, her publicist confirms to PEOPLE exclusively.

“Heather has been dealing with anxiety and depression. She requested an in-depth evaluation of her medication and entered into a medical facility for proper diagnosis and treatment,” says Locklear’s rep, Cece Yorke. “This is a confidential medical matter and no further statement will be released.”

[From People]

It’s great that Heather is being responsible and taking control of her mental health. It’s easy to sweep those sorts of things under the rug or self-medicate. Clearly her depression must have gotten pretty severe if she’s had to check herself into an in-patient facility. But it sounds like she’s doing the right thing and taking it seriously. Hopefully she’ll have a positive experience and start feeling better.

Here’s Heather Locklear arriving at the Ivy restaurant in Los Angeles on May 14th. Images thanks to WENN.

Kirsten Dunst told an E! News reporter that she made the decision to go to Cirque Lodge rehab in Utah because she was depressed, not because she had any problems with drug or alcohol abuse. She claims she needed to get away and her therapist recommended it to her:

“I didn’t go to Cirque Lodge for alcohol abuse or drug abuse,” Dunst tells me exclusively during a lunch break on All Good Things. “I went there for depression.”

The 26-year-old Hollywood veteran makes a point of explaining that while she consulted doctors along with family and friends about treatment, it was ultimately her decision to make.

“It was a good six months before I decided to go away,” Dunst says. “I was struggling, and I had the opportunity to go somewhere and take care of myself. I was fortunate to have the resources to do it. My friends and family thought it was a good idea, too. But I didn’t know where to go. My doctor recommended Cirque Lodge.”

[From E! Online]

The Cirque Lodge website is all about addiction treatment, and doesn’t mention depression treatment. Their “admission” page lists “Drug Addictions, Alcohol Addictions and other Substance Abuse issues” under what they treat and doesn’t include depression or other psychiatric issues other than addiction.

Dunst wouldn’t be the first celebrity to say she went to rehab for treatment for depression, though. Ashley Judd revealed two years ago that she received treatment for emotional issues at a facility where her sister, Winona, was being treated for a food addiction. Judd said “My behaviors were treated like addictions. And those behaviors were killing me spiritually, the same as someone who is sitting on a corner with a bottle in a brown paper bag.”

If it worked for her that’s great. You just assume there are better ways to treat depression. Maybe Dunst had more traditional depression treatment with the therapists there and was able to stay in a relaxing setting. This might explain why Cirque Lodge officials completely denied that she was there rather than issuing a standard “no comment” - she may have been sequestered from the other patients.

Dunst says she’s speaking out to end the speculation. “There’s been a lot of misrepresentation about what is going on in my life, and it’s been very painful for my friends and family. Everyone feels like they have to defend me. They hear the rumors, and it puts them in a defensive position. Now that I’m feeling stronger, I was prepared to say something.”

Last week we reported on a story from Star Magazine in which Kirsten was said to have fallen off the wagon after she was photographed out at a bar. A new commenter with an IP address from California, Sammy, said:

“You will never know her and never know her reason for ‘rehab’…but I can assure you it’s never been drugs or alcohol despite what you all want to make up and believe.”

Dunst also categorically denies dating her co-star in the film she’s working on, All Good Things, Ryan Gosling.

Kirsten Dunst is shown after a hair appointment on 9/27/07, thanks to WENN.

Gwyneth Paltrow is the latest celebrity mom to says she battled post-partum depression. Paltrow says she became very depressed after the birth of her second child Moses, now 2. Despite the attention post-partum depression has gotten in the media and from other famous moms like Brooke Shields, Gwyneth says she had no clue that was what was wrong with her until it was all over.

Gwyneth Paltrow reveals in the May issue of Vogue that she battled post-partum depression after welcoming her second child, son Moses, in 2006.

“I didn’t know I had it until after it was over,” the actress, 35, says. “I just didn’t know what was wrong with me.” She suspects her depression stemmed from scaling back on her usual pre-baby treatments like acupuncture.

“I felt really out of my body,” Paltrow says after giving birth. “I felt really disconnected. I felt really down … I felt pessimistic.”

[From Us Weekly]

At first I thought the acupuncture thing came off as kind of… “oh poor me, I have to cut back on my spa treatments.” But that’s not really the case, and it makes sense that not having any “me” time could make depression worse. Gwyneth’s always been really into alternative therapies (remember her talking about cupping on Oprah?) and often does cleanses and detoxes. It makes sense that someone who’s generally really in tune with her body could feel extra unsettled at the loss of it.

Here’s Gwyneth with Helena Christensen - wearing some crazy shoes - at the 5th Annual Can-Do Awards Dinner marking the 25th anniversary of Food Bank for New York City on April 7th 2008. Images thanks to PR Photos.

Every time I hear about another gold digger like Heather Mills, who just became a millionaire simply by divorcing her husband of four years, Paul McCartney, I try to think about women who became wealthy on their own merits, like author J.K. Rowling. I just love her story- a single mom on welfare who writes a novel about a boy wizard, becomes a sensation and ultimately a billionaire. Now, Rowling is opening up about her dark says as a single mom, admitting that she fell into a deep depression after her divorce and even contemplated suicide– but was determined to beat depression for her young daughter’s sake.

Rowling… admits that she contemplated taking her own life back in the early 1990s, after separating from her first husband, Portuguese journalist Jorge Arantes.

“We’re talking suicidal thoughts here, we’re not talking ‘I’m a little bit miserable,’ ” Rowling told [an Edinburgh University student magazine]

“Mid-twenties life circumstances were poor and I really plummeted,” Rowling said, recalling friends had to help her pay the security deposit for her apartment rental – where she would eventually begin writing about the boy wizard, which would spawn a $14 billion industry.

“The thing that made me go for help was probably my daughter,” said Rowling, referring to the then-infant, Jessica, reports the Telegraph. “She was something that earthed me, grounded me, and I thought, this isn’t right, this can’t be right, she cannot grow up with me in this state.”

‘Get Out’ of Depression
Through a circuitous route – her regular doctor was away at the time of her crisis – Rowling eventually met with a therapist, who helped her “get out” of the depression.

“The funny thing is, I have never been remotely ashamed of having been depressed. Never,” she says. “I think I’m abnormally shameless on that account because what’s to be ashamed of?”

Seeking to remove any stigma that might be attached to seeking counseling, Rowing now advises all those suffering from depression to “go and get help.”

[From People]

I couldn’t agree more- there should be no shame in admitting to depression and getting help for it. Just think how differently Rowling’s life might have turned out if she hadn’t! Hopefully it’s a thing of the past for good for the author, and she is hard at work on her next book. Although, if I had to top the success of Harry Potter, I might be a little depressed myself.

Note by Celebitchy: Rowling has written another children’s book, which she calls “political fairy story” and some short stories that may soon be published. She has no plans to write another Harry Potter sequel, but says she’ll never say never.

JK Rowling is shown at the premiere of Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix on 7/3/07, thanks to PRPhotos.

Actress Delta Burke, who has long been an advocate for talking about mental health issues, spoke with Entertainment Tonight about her recent hospitalization in a psych ward. It was widely reported that Delta was hospitalized for her hoarding, and while that played a large part in her struggle, it appears that her biggest worry was that her depression had gotten out of control. Delta says that before she was hospitalized, she couldn’t get out of bed for over two weeks.

Burke, 51, says she had been on five medications to treat her lifelong battle with depression when all of them stopped working. So she went to a clinic “to get my meds straightened out and to get properly diagnosed,” she says, adding that her meds have since been cut back to two and she has been put on a diabetic diet.

Burke says she has come a long way since her Designing Women days when her depression severely escalated. One night, she recalls, she was parked in a car on top of a hill with a gun beside her and a bottle of Xanax. She was upset over what a tabloid had written about her. “I just kept taking Xanax and hoping the pain would stop,” she tells ET. “I got really sleepy and decided to go for a ride. I needed a Diet Coke really bad. I called up [husband Gerald McRaney]. I didn’t know where I was but he found me.”

Burke says she continues to speak out about her depression — “something that I deal with and millions of Americans deal with” — “to remove the stigma. “I will always fight and everyone out there who battles this should always fight,” she adds.

[From Us Weekly]

Delta also reported that her hoarding had gotten out out of hand. She was addicted to QVC and eBay. I think eBay is becoming a much more common addiction than people realize. Delta’s addiction had led to her having to rent out 27 storage units in New Orleans, which she filled with her belongings. As part of her recovery, Delta’s sister is helping her sort through the items. She’s doing her best to sell and donate as much as she can. Hoarding is an interesting, and not often talked about disease. We discussed it in detail in relation to Delta’s hospitalization here. I can imagine that when you’re depressed, thinking of the extreme clutter and mess really could push you over the edge and make it impossible to even get out of bed and deal with it all. Congratulations to Delta not just for dealing with her issues, but for being unashamed and unafraid to talk about them.

I go out of my way to be sympathetic towards anyone dealing with severe emotional issues or mental illness. But Heather Mills just gave an interview to Brittan’s GMTV in which she doesn’t come off as very genuine. She throws out that she has been suicidal in a very cavalier way. Most people truly suffering from feelings of extreme depression wouldn’t just toss that out there randomly. The way she says it reeks of attention seeking and is a blatant attempt to get sympathy. I would truly never want to be careless about someone giving a cry for help, but that absolutely does not seem like what Mills was doing.

Heather Mills broke down in tears on Britain’s GMTV on Wednesday, as she addressed her battles with the tabloid press and her ongoing divorce from Paul McCartney. In addition to daily run-ins with the paparazzi, the former Dancing with the Stars hopeful says she has “had it” with unflattering coverage in British papers. (One recent story in The Sun accused her of hosting a massive fireworks display at her home, which allegedly sent a neighbor’s dog into cardiac arrest.)

“Everything they write is complete rubbish,” the ex-model, 39, told the morning news program. “They’ve called me a ‘whore’, a ‘gold-digger,’ a ‘fantasist,’ a ‘liar’ and the most unbelievably hurtful things. … I’ve been so close to suicide.”

In her rambling – and often emotional – tirade, Mills also attacked articles that claim she’s turned down multi-million dollar divorce settlements from the former Beatle. “I’ve been offered nothing, okay? Nothing!” she said, claiming to be nearly $3 million “in debt in lawyers fees. And that’s as much as I can say now, or I go to jail for telling the truth. So I’m gagged at the moment, because I’m not allowed to say a word while the media are fed this spin by a certain corner.” Mills also claims that since her May 2006 split from the music icon, she has received numerous death threats.

[From People]

Mills just seems like she’s freaking out and throwing out whatever she thinks might make people feel badly for her. She’s been absolutely hated in the British press since they day she was first linked to Paul McCartney, and the hatred has only grown worse since the couple split. By most accounts she’s an utterly atrocious person to be around – demanding, rude, controlling, and with an undeserved sense of entitlement. But even given all that, her press coverage is so tyrannical you’d almost feel badly for her – if she didn’t constantly respond and tell everyone how wonderful she is, how hard her life is, and what a freaking miracle the world has received in the form of her gracious presence. Mills goes on to talk a bit more about her reasons for feeling suicidal… and again, they seem pretty disingenuous.

“A certain part of the tabloid media created such a hate campaign against me, that they put my life and my daughter’s life at risk,” she said. “That’s why I considered killing myself because I thought, if I’m dead, she’s safe and she can be with her father. And that’s the truth. I’m sick of it.”

[From People]

See that doesn’t sound like a suicidal thought pattern, that sounds like someone who wants you to feel badly for her. If she really is concerned for her daughter’s welfare, there’s a lot of things she can do – get more security, move, or just keep a lower profile. But a lower profile would mean she couldn’t constantly go on television because she’s all confused about why no one likes her. I really hope (though highly doubt) that she has advisors somewhere that explain to her that throwing out threats like that is pretty dangerous, and could lead to her losing custody of Beatrice.

It’s admirable when celebrities talk about their struggles with emotional, physical, and mental illnesses. They’re problems that make most people feel completely isolated and judged, and talking about them lets the rest of us know that everyone has issues, and there’s no reason to be ashamed. I always appreciate people that are honest about their imperfections instead of acting lofty.

“House” actor Hugh Laurie made some headlines (yeah I can’t believe this made headlines either, but whatever) on Thursday when he jetted from the set of “House” to go home to England, saying he had to deal with some family issues. Apparently Laurie has been battling depression for years, and misses his family. It also sounds like he deals with some anxiety issues as well.

British actor Hugh Laurie returned to work Monday after taking a sudden trip home to his native England for undisclosed family issues. On October 25, Laurie, 48, told producers he had to leave the L.A. set, promptly hopping on an afternoon flight to London, where his wife, Jo, and their three children, Charlie, Bill and Rebecca, reside. At the time, a show rep said that “Hugh had family obligations in England to attend to, but production is continuing in his absence.”

But in a revealing interview in Sunday’s Sydney Daily Telegraph, the Emmy-nominated star — who recently became one of the highest paid actors on TV, earning more than $300,000 an episode — admitted he is battling “mild depression” and continues to see a therapist periodically.

Not only does he miss his family (Laurie maintains a home in L.A., while they live in London), but he also said he was “drained” by the show’s overnight success and the 14-hour, five-days-a-week demands of the job. “I’m always thinking about the show,” he told the paper. “I’m too neurotic and too anal and too convinced that we’re going to fail to relax. Every show we do, every scene we shoot, is a disaster, I’m convinced of it. “I go home at the end of the day and my head is full of all the mistakes I’ve made. “I beat myself up about what I’ve stuffed up the day before,” he added. “I’m looking for things to go wrong. I’m not rejoicing or lying back and enjoying it.”

[From Us Weekly]

That makes me really sad to hear, but I think it’s great that Laurie is honest in saying that he has some issues to deal with. Pretty much everyone battles some sort of depression at one point in their life. Taking the stigma off it can only be a good thing. Hugh also admitted to having an affair with actress Audrey Cooke in 1997, and said it was related to his depression. It’s a little unclear from his phrasing if he means he had an affair because he was depressed, or he became depressed due to guilt over having the affair. Either way, his home life seems fairly stable now, and he clearly loves and misses his family. Hopefully he’ll do what he needs to be well.

“Hairspray” actress Brittany Snow has admitted to an extreme eating disorder, cutting, and depression in a recent interview with the website “Half of Us.” Snow talks about her struggle with weight, which began at the age of 12 when she started the “Eat Right 4 Your Blood Type” diet, after it was recommended by some of her “Guiding Light” adult costars. Wonderful influence. She got a lot of compliments on her weight loss, and the feeling of acceptance and encouragement became addictive. Eventually, she was down to 85 pounds and worried she still wasn’t thin enough.

“Brittany Snow’s descent into the dark world of eating disorders began when she landed the role of Susan Lemay on TV’s Guiding Light, the actress, now 21, tells MTVU.com. ‘I remember looking around at all these women who were on the soap opera who were working out and dieting,’ Snow says. Taking their cue, a 12-year-old Snow tried her first diet, called Eat Right 4 Your Blood Type. ‘I took it to the extreme,’ the Hairspray star admits, which included a two-month stint when she ‘lived on pineapple.’

“After losing 10 lbs. on the diet, Snow says she heard compliments and felt accepted from those around her. Soon it was a feeling she couldn’t get enough of. ‘It kind of progressed into this thing where I needed to always be dieting and losing weight and more weight,’ she says in the site’s interview series Half of Us, which addresses mental health issues and ways to get help. ‘It became my life and I didn’t have any friends and this was definitely my best friend and I held on to it really tight.’

“At 15, Snow was stepping onto the scale 10 to 15 times a day and weighed only 85 lbs. ‘I knew that was a really low number and I knew that my hair was falling out and I had really weird skin. My face looked really weird and I was getting this fuzz on my face and I was always cold – always to the point of uncontrollably shaking,’ she says. But ‘I was more scared that 85 lbs. wasn’t good enough. I wanted to be lower.”

[From People]

Brittany Snow is one of those sorta famous actresses that I never really thought much about, and she’s very pretty in a small, petite person kind of way. I never noticed just how tiny she was until I read this story, and really started looking. That would mean she was obviously struggling with anorexia through much, if not all, of her time on “American Dreams.” Snow says she finally reached the end of her rope when she started cutting herself.

“Rock bottom came when Snow began cutting herself. ‘I would look at the scars and what I had done to myself and that would convince me not to eat,’ she says. ‘I also was crying for attention and I also really wanted someone to see my scars and help me and give me a hug.’

“By 19, Snow was in rehab and things took a turn for the better. She stopped cutting and got help for her depression. ‘But the eating stuff was still really hard to deal with,’ she says. ‘It’s still a struggle.’

“Her advice to girls who are going though a similar situation is to take baby steps. ‘It’s very important to talk to anybody. Maybe the first step is just to talk to a friend about it,’ she says. ‘Probably they’ll relate in some way.’”

[From People]

That advice sounds very sensible. I imagine that for someone struggling with something as complex, private, and scary as anorexia, making a full-on confession might seem too overwhelming. The idea of baby steps makes sense. It’s amazing that Brittany could have had so many people around her who either didn’t notice or didn’t say anything.

Picture note by Celebitchy: Brittany Snow is shown in a white dress at fashion week on 9/5/07. She is at a party for her Vegas Magazine cover on 8/24/07 in the photos where she is wearing a pink dress. Thanks to PRPhotos.