Wentworth Miller Recalls Suicidal Past in Empowering Response to Fat-Shaming Meme

Memes are a dime a dozen these days, but while some make us chuckle, others may leave a bad taste in our mouths.

Wentworth Millerfelt the latter today when flipping through social media and stumbling on a side-by-side shot of him, comparing his early days in Hollywood to a paparazzi shot taken of him in 2010.

The actor took to Facebook to share his reaction with the world,saying, "Today I found myself the subject of an Internet meme. Not for the first time. This one, however, stands out from the rest. In 2010, semi-retired from acting, I was keeping a low-profile for a number of reasons. First and foremost, I was suicidal. This is a subject I've since written about, spoken about, shared about. But at the time I suffered in silence."

The actor continued, "In 2010, at the lowest point in my adult life, I was looking everywhere for relief/comfort/distraction. And I turned to food. It could have been anything. Drugs. Alcohol. Sex. But eating became the one thing I could look forward to…And I put on weight. Big f--king deal.

Miller shared that after seeing the paparazzi photo, his mother called him, concerned about his health and well-being.

"Long story short, I survived. So do those pictures. I'm glad. Now, when I see that image of me in my red t-shirt, a rare smile on my face, I am reminded of my struggle. My endurance and my perseverance in the face of all kinds of demons…The first time I saw this meme pop up in my social media feed, I have to admit, it hurt to breathe. But as with everything in life, I get to assign meaning. And the meaning I assign to this/my image is strength, healing, forgiveness. Of myself and others."

Miller concluded with one poignant note to those who either know or are struggling themselves: "Help is available. Reach out. Text. Send an email. Pick up the phone. Someone cares. They're waiting to hear from you."