Ari Behn's mental issues

[Her_Majesty]

I see your point and agree.
That was my first thought, too. Well, I hope Märtha knew he was going to talk about his "mental issues" in this interview.
On the other hand I also agree with what grevinnan and Marengo said earlier in this thread.
My feeling about this Ari-Behn-Interview are very ambivalent.

[Lumutqueen]

I'm glad he has admitted an illness, and i do hope that he gets the correct treatment, i would hate this to ruin his marriage. Him and Marth-Louise are perfect for each other.

[Dierna23]

If it is true, I as well see no problem with it that Ari Behn talked about his mental illness in an interview. I wish him a good treatment, soon recovery and I also hope it will not weigh down the marriage too much.

[rominet09]

I really hope so ! This would be terrible for the girls !

Originally Posted by Her_Majesty

Well, Ari never talked about a divorce.
In the Side2 article (I posted above) it was mentioned that Ari never talked about a seperation. This was only the interpretation by magazines like BB or S&H.
Actually Ari said that his wife and children are the best he could imagine.

I somehow don't think there'll be an announcement of a seperation/ divorce or whatever...

I just can say: if Ari really suffers from depressions I hope he gets the help he needed. I seriously hope that this interview wasn't just a weird PR thing to promote his next book.

[susan alicia]

Is it just me or does being mentally ill seem too heavy a label to put on someone who is depressed. There are so many variations of depression and many people are occasionally depressed in their lives (and perhaps take medication for it).

I might be wrong but I think being mentally ill is hereditary which is all the more terrible for the family.

[iowabelle]

Ari's comments seem self-indulgent IMO, and for some reason he seems hopeless, as if he doesn't want to seek help and potentially get better.

Many people in my family have suffered with this problem (maybe it's a common problem for Norwegians like Ari and me?--although I bet Seasonal Affective Disorder probably has some role in this), and it's inconceivable to me that you give up.

[RubyPrincess168]

'Mentally Ill' is too heavy a label for depression IMO. But I have to wonder when Ari talks about being chronically depressed, if he's really more of a manic-depression type. There certainly are pleanty of treatments and medications out there for depression - no need for a pity party. Just get help.

[kalnel]

Originally Posted by iowabelle

Ari's comments seem self-indulgent IMO, and for some reason he seems hopeless, as if he doesn't want to seek help and potentially get better.\.

I agree. The whole thing sounded self-indulgent and extremely pretentious to me. Sometimes I think people invent problems for themselves so they can seem more "artistic," as if their "tortured souls" are just too delicate and different to deal with everyday life.

Sadly, I think these things sometimes become self-fulfilling prophesies.

[iowabelle]

Call me a little impatient with Ari... but I think there's a difference between being artistic and allowing oneself to wallow in depression and then discussing it in public.

Aside from his work, Ari has a lovely family and I would assume they're financially better off than millions of people in the world. And in Norway he would have access to decent health care. I think he ought to quit his whining in public.

I would have a different response if he had admitted he suffered from depression and that he was seeking help (and that other depressed people can seek help, too, etc.).

[Odette]

I feel that if he had broken a leg as was suggested, he would not run to give an interview about it and say he got kicked out of the house more than once (Perhaps something was lost in translation and I misunderstood the statement)
I agree that if this was something that had to be aired and publicised, Martha Louise's presence by his side would seem like a battle they are fighting together to preserve their marriage.
Matha Louise became a private citizen after her marriage to pursue a life away from the court and its restrictions. Why can't her husband respect her position?
Mental illness and depression are serious issues and most times not discussed in a constructive way, however I find it bad form for Ari to go and give interviews about it.

[lise]

I have depression I may not be popular after I've posted this but I'm going to post it anyway.

There seems to be alot of negative posts in this thread. People with depression need your support not your negative stigma.

Something Ari is quoted as saying makes complete sense to me. I find doing pratical things hard too, your brain tells your body to do these things but nothing happens.

When you have depression you often feel better after talking to someone, but it can be hard to find someone that will listen and not judge you.

Finally a couple of small things depression is a mental ilness judging by the tone of some posts here some people do not take it seriously as a mental illness and lastly despression is hereditary, my grandfather has it too.

[Katrianna]

lise, you're fine in my book and thank you for your courage in speaking up. Yes, depression and all mental illness should be treated as disease and many of the conditions are genetically inherited as scientists are discovering. It's a tragedy that in the twenty first century, addiction is accepted by the general public while mental illness is still considered a stigma and weakness by said public.

[Dierna23]

Originally Posted by lise

I have depression I may not be popular after I've posted this but I'm going to post it anyway.

There seems to be alot of negative posts in this thread. People with depression need your support not your negative stigma.

Something Ari is quoted as saying makes complete sense to me. I find doing pratical things hard too, your brain tells your body to do these things but nothing happens.

When you have depression you often feel better after talking to someone, but it can be hard to find someone that will listen and not judge you.

Finally a couple of small things depression is a mental ilness judging by the tone of some posts here some people do not take it seriously as a mental illness and lastly despression is hereditary, my grandfather has it too.

I also thank you for this statement, Lise. And for the courage I had not, I also had depression a while ago, it was connected with a case of death of a very dear person in my life and I'm grateful that I can say that I'm now "cured". But thats another point in the discussion, there are a various number of different kinds of depressions.

However, as you said depression is an mental illness. Its an illness like a broken leg and though its not the same! It really shouldn't be still a stigma in the 21th century and for that we need awareness training. It never can be enough of this and if a member of a royal family suffers from depression and talks about it in the media, I see absolutely no problem with it, quite the opposite! I think in history there were enough royals with mental issues who weren't able to talk about it and had to play the role they have to play, true to the motto "everything's perfect".

[marlene]

Depression is a mental illness and is severity can vary greatly and often it can be very well hidden until it is too late.I have one friend who suffers with it and does so on an ongoing basis and three friends who took their own lives because of it.If Ari suffers from this, then lets not have the audacity to question its severity or impact on he and his family because it will indeed affect each and every one of them.It is as significant as cancer and as far reaching.I personallt applaud him for having the courage to say something.The press will probably have a field day with this ,I only hope those close to him will continue to support him.

[iowabelle]

Ilse, I was trying NOT to say it, but I have had terrible bouts of depression in my lifetime and struggle with it most of the time. I'm not criticizing him for having it, I just don't understand why he chooses to deal with it in this way. And being partially Norwegian/Swedish with a family history of depression in that branch among others, I do understand it's genetic and can happen to you despite your best efforts.

But I also think it's important to seek help for the condition and follow through with recommendations. That's not what I was hearing from reports of the interview though, and that's what made me critical of him.

[Patra]

Well I personally hate to see people go thru tough times. When there is family, and that family is royal (or famous), things only seem worse for those involved because of the publicity. Royals are just human beings too like us, the suffer, and have difficulties. I guess the difference is that no one is blogging about MY life, and we are all interested in THEIR lives!

[iowabelle]

Have to say I'm not in the least interested in Ari Behn (I just wanted to see what the uproar was about), and not too terribly interested in Princess M-L either. This whole business reminded me of when the Crown Prince of Denmark started complaining about how his parents neglected him when he was little. We all have issues, what matters is how we choose to deal with them (and royals/almost royals have more resources to deal with them than most people).

[Patra]

Very well put iowabelle, I couldnt agree more!

[kalnel]

My sympathy to those who have depression -- it certainly is a difficult illness to deal with.

My comment about Ari is more that I doubt he has it. I think he's just creating dramas around himself to attract attention.

(And, judging from the reaction on this board, it's working. Had he not given the interview, no one would have mentioned him all week!)

[dazzling]

But why would he want attention when he doesnt like it, when he trys to keep his life as private as he can?
Is it away to attract people to his work? I dont understand what his goal/point is.