It’s hard to believe there was a time when the rowdy antics of Lindsay Lohan, Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber all but overshadowed their success in the industry. But these days, those headline-making controversial moments seem to have become nothing more than afterthoughts in their impressive lives and careers. But it begs the question: What caused these former child stars to rebel in the first place?
According to psychotherapist Dr. Jenn Mann — who guided Lohans’ parents, Dina and Michael Lohan, and more families on VH1’s Family Therapy with Dr. Jenn — becoming famous at a young age can cause developmental issues. “The dynamic of having more money and power than your parents can make it very difficult for young stars to go through typical developmental milestones,” the Relationship Fix: Dr. Jenn’s 6-Step Guide to Improving Communication, Connection & Intimacy author told Us.
An impressionable adolescent who embarks on a career more suitable for adults is likely to be exposed to too much, too soon, including alcohol and drugs. And when they’re surrounded by ‘yes people’ without a proper support system in place, Mann said this “creates a whole new set of problems and dangers.”
Lindsay Lohan Through the Years
There’s no need to rehash the past: Lohan, Lovato and Bieber’s troubled times are all well-documented, with arrests, drug use and public meltdowns. With Cyrus, the scrutiny came after her scandalous performances, a nude photo leak and a very risqué birthday cake. But growth is personal, and each star follows their own timeline.
For some — like Lohan, 38, who relocated to a paparazzi-free Dubai in 2014 — that includes figuring themselves out away from the spotlight. “When you get famous before you can discover who you are, it isn’t easy to know who you are and what you want,” Sara Fruman, founder of PR agency Soul Evolution Media, told Us. “These stars took a step back from public life, prioritized their mental health and found grounding.”
Others seek help, available in a myriad of ways. Two years after canceling the remainder of 2017’s Purpose World Tour while struggling with depression, Bieber, 30 — who’s said his first year of marriage was “tough” on account of “trauma stuff” — shared a photo of himself at a therapy session captioned, “It’s cool to have a healthy mind and emotions.”
Speaking with a mental health professional allows the opportunity to reflect and develop coping skills, which comes in handy when those who joined the entertainment industry early come to terms with their unconventional upbringing. “In order to overcome the impact of child stardom and trauma, people need to get to the root of these issues,” Shari Botwin, trauma therapist and author of Stolen Childhoods: Thriving After Abuse, told Us. “As they mature, they have a much better understanding of the impact of earlier life traumas.”
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Last June, Lovato, 32 — whose 2024 Child Star doc featured celebs talking about their experiences growing up in showbiz — got candid about seeking mental health treatment five times and noted that being prescribed the “right medication” helped “tremendously.” By doing so, she may have had a larger impact than she knows, Botwin explained: “Lovato has been a role model for others as she has shared about times when she has gone to residential facilities to focus on her mental health.”
Then there’s Cyrus, who makes no qualms about coming of age — and making mistakes — in front of the world. Last August, while being named a Disney Legend at the D23 Expo, the Hannah Montana alum, 32, joked there was a “bug in the system which caused me to malfunction somewhere between … 2013 and ’16” that made her rebel against her former squeaky-clean image.
(Cyrus, to her credit, seemingly used the backlash from that time as inspo for 2023’s “Used to Be Young,” in which she sings, “You say I used to be wild/I say I used to be young.” Touché!)
So, what role has society — known to be largely unforgiving — played in giving them the space to grow? As it turns out, a significant one. Though Mann admitted there was a time when society loved to put celebrities on a pedestal, there has been a shift in recent years.
Lindsay! Selena! Disney Stars Through the Years
“As the culture has become more therapy-oriented and developed more insight about human behavior, there is more forgiveness,” the therapist said. “When celebrities are able to be authentic, share their struggle and how they have overcome difficulties, they are more well received.”
For Fruman, it’s no surprise these former child stars have rebounded from tragic situations to triumph: “It is always possible to gain society’s favor again,” she told Us, “if you make the right moves and have a forward-thinking publicity team that understands that honesty and authenticity drive public opinion moving into 2025.”
Public figures who’ve had missteps while maturing shouldn’t be tethered to them — and we have a responsibility to allow second chances. Think about it: Would you want your worst moments from adolescence to define you for the rest of your life? After all, everyone loves a good comeback story.
