A few years ago, when I was writing the Mental Health Notes blog for b5media, I ran into an old Rolling Stone interview with Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots, Velvet Revolver) in which he talks about his battles with depression and substance abuse how he was finally diagnosed with – and received proper medication for – bipolar disorder.

I was only vaguely aware, though, that his now estranged wife, Mary Weiland, was also dealing with demons of her own – namely, her own drug addiction and bipolar disorder.

According to Roadrunner Records’ Blabbermouth, Mary Weiland’s memoir Fall to Pieces: A Memoir of Drugs, Rock ‘n’ Roll, and Mental Illness will hit shelves on October 27, 2009, and in it:

“[...] Weiland describes the extreme highs and lows of her life, the volatility of which long hinted at mental illness. Working with acclaimed journalist Larkin Warren, Weiland tells her story with refreshing candor, unflinching detail, and more than a little humor. Reminiscent of celebrity memoirs by Tatum O’Neill, Brooke Shields, and Valerie Bertinelli, Weiland’s story offers a window into the world of modeling and rock ‘n’ roll celebrity while providing deep insights into a serious and misunderstood psychological disorder.”

Comments under the Blabbermouth article aren’t encouraging – most folks seem to think this memoir is a way for Mary to “cash in” on her life’s dramas. Maybe it is, but I’m willing to bet there was a bit more motive behind penning the story.

Sure, publishing a tell-all memoir about your life’s dirty laundry is almost always sure to bring in the bucks – especially if you’re fairly high profile.

However, writing about such details can also be quite therapeutic. Isn’t that one of – if not the – biggest reasons people keep diaries?

Sharing those private details can be just as therapeutic. Sharing them gives a sense of “coming clean” – no longer keeping things bottled up and no longer feeling as if you’re chained to a particular “image” you’ve created for yourself and have, until that point, felt obligated to continue portraying.

Plus, if you are fairly profile, sharing those details gives you a chance to clear the air and tell your side of what most of us have already heard or read about in the news. It gives people insight into what really happened – allows them the chance to really understand what was going on.

If these are the kinds of reasons that drove Mary Weiland to write her memoir, I say good for her. Maybe it’ll be a hit and rake in the cash, and maybe it won’t. Either way, if writing it (and later, sharing it) helped her cope with the turmoil, then good for her.

Comments

This post currently has 13 comments/trackbacks.
You can read the comments or leave your own thoughts.

Trackbacks

From Psych Central's website:
PsychCentral (May 31, 2009)

Reality Rat (June 1, 2009)

From Psych Central's Alicia Sparks:
Jodie Sweetin Will Soon Share Her ‘UnSweetined’ Life | Celebrity Psychings (June 1, 2009)

Marty Mankins (November 17, 2009)

From Psych Central's Alicia Sparks:
Mary Weiland Hopes Her Memoir Helps Somone “Connect” | Celebrity Psychings (November 20, 2009)

From Psych Central's Alicia Sparks:
Sadie Frost Talks Depression, Cutting In Memoir "Crazy Days" | Celebrity Psychings (September 2, 2010)

From Psych Central's Alicia Sparks:
Holiday Shopping With Celebrity Psychings: Celebrity Memoirs | Celebrity Psychings (November 26, 2011)

    Last reviewed: 31 May 2009