Celebrity3 min(s) read
Last year, a child actor best known for his role in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace and Jingle All the Way shared that he had been battling a serious mental health condition, but this week he has announced that he is doing much better.
Jake Lloyd, 37, who retired from acting in 2000 and later admitted that he was bullied throughout his school life over his role as Anakin Skywalker in the popular franchise, has battled Schizophrenia for much of his adult life.
The star's mom, Lisa Lloyd, revealed that her son had been struggling with mental health issues, telling Scripps News: "Jake started having some trouble in high school.
"He started talking about ‘realities.’ He didn't know if he was in this reality, or a different reality. I didn't really know exactly what to say to that."
Following several appointments with therapists and psychiatrists, Lloyd was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, which led to the actor falling into a deep depression.
And in a new interview with Star Wars: Timelines co-author Clayton Sandell, the actor and his mom have opened up about Jake's most recent diagnosis: Anosognosia.
Anosognosia is a neurological condition that prevents individuals from recognizing their illness. His mom shared that: “Jake’s condition stopped him from wanting to take medication because he didn’t believe he was sick.”
However, in a recent update, the child star’s family revealed that Jake’s mental health is significantly better.
A post on Star Wars superfan and writer Clayton Sandell's Instagram announced, after meeting with Jake and Lisa, that: “Jake is doing better than I’ve ever seen him.”
The post said: “I spent part of my weekend catching up with Jake Lloyd and his mom Lisa. I’ve been honored to help share their story over the last few years. As you may know, they’ve faced a lot of ups and downs managing Jake’s schizophrenia diagnosis
“I’m really happy to share, however, that today Jake is doing better than I’ve ever seen him. He’s engaging, curious, and funny. We had a great conversation about video games and editing programs—two of his big interests.”
Without giving too much away, the writer also alluded to the fact that the star’s future is looking a lot brighter than it did a few years ago, also writing in the post: “In June, he completed a long-term program that has done wonders for him—helping him stay on track with medication, therapy, and other life skills.
“Progress is measured in days sometimes, but along with his mom, who continues providing extraordinary and unwavering support, there are many reasons to be optimistic about Jake’s future. More to come…”
