Depression Takes Its Toll

She starred in the multi-million dollar Terminator blockbusters and was one of Hollywood's first female action heroes. Away from the spotlight, however, Linda Hamilton was living a personal hell. Now, Linda, is revealing the truth behind her private battle—a lifelong struggle with manic depression that went undiagnosed for most of her life.

Linda says she is haunted by painful memories of her childhood. "I know that my parents found me beating a puppy with a stick when I was 5," says Linda. "I remembered ever since then that horrible tale of beating a precious soul with a stick. And that's pretty much the way my life went." An identical twin, she says she hated resembling her sister and took drastic measures to rebel, even cutting off her long eyelashes in high school. As Linda lost control, she says she comforted herself with food and ate her way to 170 pounds.

Linda found her passion in acting and moved to Hollywood in her early 20s, but depression shadowed her every move. "I really started to break down," says Linda. "I turned to drugs. Alcohol use. I medicated with lots of cocaine in my early life. Anything that I could do to get my confidence up."