Depression Confession: Joe Pantoliano
I guess he’s going to start being an activist now. Or shilling. One or the other.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Joe Pantoliano’s first reaction to being told he was clinically depressed was … euphoria.
Finally, he said, he had an answer to why he’d been so miserable despite having the success and family he always wanted.
The 57-year-old actor, perhaps best known for playing Ralph Cifaretto on HBO’s “The Sopranos,” was in Buffalo Thursday to talk about the organization he founded two years ago to help remove the stigma attached to mental illness. It’s called: No Kidding, Me Too!
“Mental disease is the only thing you can be diagnosed with and get yelled at for having,” he said. “Why is that?”
Appearing with representatives from pharmaceutical and biomedical research companies, Pantoliano said medication has helped him manage his depression.
“From the moment I was diagnosed there was a certain sense of euphoria and `Thank God’ we figured this out,” he said, “because I thought that I’d become such a curmudgeon.”
liz | 1:51 PM | Uncategorized
As you quoted, he said, “From the moment I was diagnosed there was a certain sense of euphoria and `Thank God’ we figured this out,” he said, “because I thought that I’d become such a curmudgeon.”
Okay, number one: I understand the feeling of relief. I am familiar with feeling like hey lookie there, my symptoms are not due to some freaky weird thing that is going to continue to grow me four more arms and fangs and bald knees and a salivation disorder.
I can’t say that euphoria ever entered into the equation for me, though admittedly that could be due to the fact that euphoria is one of the symptoms of the disease I have. Where I think he goes off-track is forming a connection between his curmudgeon-y leanings and mental illness. I don’t know him; maybe he’s just a curmudgeon. And now, I guess, he’s a curmudgeon with a freshly padded wallet. Hmmm… that could be a contributing factor re: why he’s feeling better.
Sounds like he needs hormonal replacement therapy.
I can agree with you although I’m not sure I can use that word when I found out.I was unhappy to find my family wouldn’t talk about it or recommend a doctor for me.I didn’t find out till I was in my 50’s and a widow.Wish I could of known sooner. Thanks for your website.I have a chemical imbalance and have to take prozac for the rest of my life but I am better for it. I.F.
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