Deborah Gibson Reveals Secret Disorder

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Deborah Gibson Reveals Secret Disorder

The '80s pop princess talks about the pressures that young celebs face.

Former teen pop star Deborah Gibson tells ET that teen stardom caused her to experience panic attacks.

(July 12, 2007) -- Eighties teen sensation DEBORAH GIBSON is opening up to ET about the tribulations she faced as a teen star.

We caught up with the 36-year-old "Skating with Celebrities" star while she was sitting down for a photoshoot with OK! magazine, for the issue that hits stands this Friday, July 13.

Deborah, who went by "Debbie" when her hit records climbed the charts, says that she encountered all of the same pitfalls faced by young actresses and pop stars today and that she understands the pressure they face: "You're at the center of a multi-million dollar industry. And there are grownups around you demanding of you, and you're aware that you're putting food on everyone's table. I mean, that's a heavy-duty responsibility for a young, young person."

She says that as a result of all of the pressure, she began experiencing panic attacks. "Back in the '80s, it was almost taboo to think you had anything mental or emotional going on," Deborah says. "It was like, 'Well I don't need therapy -- that's for wackos.' I mean, that was the perception at that time."

Deborah Gibson Opens Up
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She reveals that her stress got so bad that she "started getting anxiety attacks over the idea that I was going to have an anxiety attack."

As a result, she says, "I eventually started going to therapy, the therapist recommended a psychiatrist and medication, and therapy was eventually the answer for a couple of years."

"I started to unravel that big ball of yarn that was really teen stardom-related," she adds. "Once I got out of that, I was never, ever lax about addressing my mental health ever again."

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Deborah has a lot of sympathy for young starlets today, saying, "I think the reason that these young stars go and party is to mask the heavy-duty, intense emotions they're feeling from experiencing this wired thing called fame, because you're not wired at 16 to know how to have all this attention."

Source: ET Celebrities

Last updated: 07/07

Deborah Gibson Reveals Secret Disorder

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