Destroyed by Mental Illness

By Miss Rikki

So, I don’t know where I’ve been but apparently back in September of 2009 someone uploaded a video of Maia Campbell trippin’ hard in LA’s Jefferson District.  Yes SistaGirlz, if you have been living under the same rock as I have let me give you the rundown.  Child star Maia Campbell of “In the House” and “Trippin” fame, daughter of the late Bebe Moore Campbell, apparently has bi-polar disorder and has been on drugs for quite some time. 

It took some serious searching, but I found the infamous YouTube video, that was subsequently removed from the site itself citing a “terms of use violation.”  I also found a video of her singing Foolish by Ashanti topless. Yes, you read it correctly…topless.  I am completely outdone and saddened by what I’ve seen; so much so that I decided not to post the links to the videos I found.

I couldn’t help but wonder where her family is.  Obviously her mother is no longer with us, but where is everyone else.  So, I looked up Bebe Moore Campbell in order to find out if she had brothers, sisters, etc.  Upon clicking the link to her website I was brought to this page, which was apparently added to the Bebe Moore Campbell website shortly after the disturbing video hit YouTube:

Click Here To Enter Site

Our Love? Our Challenge ? Our Faith?. Our Trust
	Our hearts have been deeply touched by the outpouring of love that so many of you have freely displayed in the past several days about our beloved Maia C. Campbell. Our spirits have been lifted by your words of support and your acts of kindness and we have been encouraged to continue our efforts to assist our daughter and granddaughter to become whole again.As a family, we have been struggling with Maia in her illness for quite some time. We continue to hold fast to our faith and hope that some day she will realize that healing will begin when she decides to reach out and accept the help and treatment that have been offered to her. We all have challenges in life that we must face, but when compound problems such mental illness and substance abuse are prevalent, it can appear that there is no way out. However, our sustaining faith and trust in God compels us to believe differently. We strongly believe that Maia will be healed.
We also know that Maia”s mother, the late Bebe Moore Campbell, who devoted much of her later years in life to mental health awareness and education, along with her family members and friends would welcome your prayers and support for Maia”s sustained recovery. In addition, we urge your support for efforts to diagnose and treat mental illness in our community.We ask that you not only pray for Maia”s wellness, but also commit to understanding this insidious disease, which is devastating our loved ones and community. Help erase the “stigma” of mental illness, which is a very serious barrier to treatment, so that we can help those with the disease to live wholesome lives. Call for more treatment options and prevention strategies, have compassion for those stricken with this illness, and help guide those who have been unable to find their way to appropriate treatment. Additionally, support those families who are struggling to cope with loved ones with the disease because mental illness affects the entire family.Finally, we ask that you support Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, which was established by Congressional Resolution, H. Con. Res. 134, in April 2008 and is celebrated during the month of July each year. It was established to enhance public awareness of mental illness, especially within minority communities. Please join us in this effort to bring attention to this problem, to identify resources and to strengthen the focus on treatment along with research relative to minorities and mental illness. This is the work that we continue on behalf of Bebe Moore Campbell.Let us move forward, face our challenge, and turn that challenge into victory and a celebration of life. To God be the Glory, Sincerely, Ellis Gordon Jr., Father Doris C. Moore, Grandmother September 6, 2009

 

According to Vibe Magazine, Maia is in a treatment facility getting the help she needs.  As for the gentlemen (and I use that term very loosely in order to avoid using bad language) who taped these two videos – How dare you have the audacity to exploit someone on the basis of their fame for your own little 15 minutes in the spotlight.  You, truly disgust me. 

I have also come across several rumors that she is creating a reality show about her illness, drug abuse, and her struggle to get healthy.  Here is the release via Global Grind:

Former child star turned vixen turned You Tube trainwreck, Maia Campbell has teamed up with Reality TV producer Jaysen “Av Action” Accius to start filming the pilot for a reality series that follows her journey as she attempts to pick up the pieces of a once beautiful life while dealing with her addictions and Bi-Polar Disorder. Maia and the producers of the show are hoping that this show will aid in giving a voice to the thousands of people diagnosed with Bi Polar Disorder every year and the families, friends and communities that struggle to support them.

I’m not sure if this is a good look for her.  I wonder if a Barbara Walters Special would present better.  I almost feel like someone is trying to exploit her – yet again.  But then again it could be interesting and hopefully very informative as long as they take more of a Celebrity Rehab approach than say a Keyshia Cole “The Way it Is” approach.  Whatever happens, I sincerely hope and pray that her treatment is successful and she remains healthy for the duration of her life.