Evan Rachel Wood delivers emotional Capitol Hill testimony
Actress Evan Rachel Wood presented an emotional testimony detailing two instances where she was raped and tortured, to DC law makers during a hearing for the Sexual Assault Survivors Bill.
“Westworld” star Evan Rachel Wood opened up Thursday about her post-traumatic stress disorder and the time she checked herself into a psychiatric hospital.
Wood, 31, wrote in an essay for Nylon that she was 22 years old when she tried to commit suicide and then “willingly” checked herself into a psychiatric hospital. The actress said she was not ashamed of her decision.
“When I was 22, I willingly checked myself into a psychiatric hospital, and I have absolutely no shame about it. Looking back, it was the worst, best thing that ever happened to me,” she wrote.
Wood wrote that she called her mother to tell her what happened and said she needed help.
“I hadn’t eaten or slept in three days. I felt like if you’d dropped me I would shatter. I felt like nothing. But not in a way of despair like the night before,” she wrote.
The star revealed she was struggling with PTSD and had no idea. She revealed that her PTSD was “caused by multiple rapes and a severely abusive relationship that went on for years."
The actress wrote about her stint in the hospital and the people she met. She wrote about her fellow patients and how they had a “special bond.”
“I got the impression right away that all the patients held a special bond, which was almost instantaneous because we shared this one thing in common: We needed help to survive,” she wrote.
Wood said she adopted a pseudonym while at the hospital to protect her identity.
“I felt some relief at choosing this new name. I couldn’t remember what it felt like to not be ‘Evan Rachel Wood’ — so much of my self-worth was wrapped in that,” she wrote.
Wood recalled her last day there and when she was asked if she was ready to leave by a psychiatrist.
“I told her [the psychiatrist] I was scared but that I felt like I was in a better place and ready to do the work I needed to do,” she recalled.
The psychiatrist told her that after watching Wood in the 2003 film “Thirteen” inspired her.
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“At the end of our conversation, she leaned over and said, “Can I tell you something now that you’re leaving? I didn’t want to mention it before.” I said, “Sure.” “When I was in school, I saw the movie ‘Thirteen’, and it made me want to get into this line of work to help people. You’re why I’m here,” Wood recalled.
She concluded her essay by saying she still struggles with her PTSD sometimes but encouraged others to get help if they were feeling depressed.
“Depression isn’t weakness, it’s a sickness. Sometimes a deadly one. And sometimes all people need is to know that they are loved and that others are there for them. They may not take your hand right away, but knowing it’s there could save their life one day,” she wrote.
Wood has discussed her suicide attempts and rapes before. Last year, Wood presented an emotional testimony on Capitol Hill to advocate for the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill. She shared the harrowing details of her alleged assault to the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations.
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