05/11/2026
Known for her roles in Beetlejuice, Heathers, and most recently Stranger Things, Winona Ryder has struggled with mental health for years. At a young age, she spoke out about her anxiety and depression and has been open about many of her struggles through the years. Ryder is often seen as fragile and highly sensitive due to her openness to discussing her struggles. "And I am supersensitive, and I don’t think that that’s a bad thing," said Ryder. "To do what I do, I have to remain open."
In 2001, she was caught shoplifting at a department store. A few months prior to the event, she had broken an arm leading a doctor to prescribe her various painkillers. The confusion and depression brought on by the use of medications like oxycodone is what led to her shoplifting, but this event also helped her realize they had become a problem. "...I was taking it at first to get through the pain. And then there was this weird point when you don’t know if you are in pain, but you’re taking it.”
While not necessarily considered an advocate for mental health, she has been noted on being glad she spoke out when she was young. "Since I’ve talked about my anxiety, I’ve gotten a really good response. Young women were grateful to learn that it happens to everybody, even to people they consider perfect people with perfect lives.”
