Jake Lloyd, who is best known for playing the young Anakin Skywalker in the 1999 blockbuster film “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace”, has been diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Life hasn’t been easy for the 27-year-old. After spending nearly 10 months behind bars, the former child star was recently transferred from his prison cell into a mental health facility to deal with his condition.
The actor, who rose to fame at the age of 10, was arrested last June after leading the police in a publicised high-speed car chase on Interstate 95 in South Carolina. While avoiding the patrol’s cars, Lloyd’s vehicle reportedly exceeded more than 100 miles per hour.
Lloyd eventually drove through a fence before crashing into a tree. Following the chase, he was charged with failing to stop for officers, resisting arrest, reckless driving, and driving without a license. Now, however, authorities believe he is better off seeking treatment for his mental condition than continuing his time in jail.
According to Mayo Clinic, schizophrenia is “a severe brain disorder in which people interpret reality abnormally”. The disorder can cause a person to experience hallucinations, delusions, and extremely disordered thinking and behaviour.
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In case you’re wondering, here are some warning signs to look out if you suspect someone with schizophrenia:
- Hearing or seeing something that isn’t there
- A constant feeling of being watched
- Peculiar or nonsensical way of speaking or writing
- Strange body positioning
- Feeling indifferent to very important situations
- Deterioration of academic or work performance
- A change in personal hygiene and appearance
- A change in personality
- Increasing withdrawal from social situations
- Irrational, angry or fearful response to loved ones
- Inability to sleep or concentrate
- Inappropriate or bizarre behavior
- Extreme preoccupation with religion or the occult
The troubled lad’s mother, Lisa Riley, told TMZ that she spoke to her son last week, and she’s already noticing an improvement in his personality. Reports state that as of now there is no scheduled release date and that “his family wants him to take his time to get healthy”.
Our heart goes out to him and we wish him well.
Sources: Inquisitr, NME, NY Daily News, US Magazine.
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