Keira Knightley Discusses PTSD Diagnosis: ‘I Had A Breakdown At About 22’

Keira Knightley shares how difficult it was to experience massive fame at such a young age.

The actress, 37, burst onto the Hollywood scene and achieved worldwide recognition when she began starring as Elizabeth Swann in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise in 2003 at 17 years old.

She recently stopped by “The Drew Barrymore Show”, where she discussed fame’s impact on her at such a young age.

“You had to really deal with, as a woman, things coming at you in a way that was really difficult to handle and navigate,” said Barrymore before asking the actress to share her experiences.

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“I think it’s a lot to take on when you’re a kid who isn’t really aware of what you look like and isn’t really aware, I was very tomboyish and I’m playing these roles that are not tomboyish. They’re gorgeous, they’re the kind of lusted after creatures in the films, and you know that that’s make believe, but actually you’re put in a public sphere where suddenly that’s what’s being projected onto you,” the actress shared.

Knightley then discussed that the level of public attention levied in her direction caused her to be diagnosed with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).

“So yeah I had a breakdown at about twenty-two so I was diagnosed with PTSD. You know, so it’s just being a woman in the public sphere, how do we do that, how are we meant to navigate that space where there’s not naturally space for us and we have to fight for it.”

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Knightley then discussed her role in the movie “Boston Strangler” about a man who killed 13 women in the 1960s.

“So you watch this film, you watch this struggle that they have as working mothers, to try and be these amazing journalists, but also have a family and also have a great relationship and you know, the ball gets drop”ed somewhere. So me reading this script and I think for a lot of women seeing this film they found it a very cathartic experience.”