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Princess Leia's Drug Addiction, Bi-Polar Disorder and Eccentric Family

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(Dec. 10) - Actress Carrie Fisher reveals in her new book 'Wishful Drinking' that life as Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher's daughter was anything but ordinary. The Princess Leia star reveals the dirty details of her life by poking fun at her "demons" and exposing the truth about her drug addiction, bipolar disorder and use of electro-convulsive therapy. "I am only as sick as my secrets," she jokes.

"[Life] better get funny fast or it's just going to be something that haunts you. I make very difficult situations in my life funny as possible," Fisher said on 'Today'.

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The actress, who became an instant success at 19, by landing the role of Princess Leia, says she would have "never done it," if she had known its implications. At 105 pounds, the directors told the young star she was "too fat" and had to lose weight.

She soon began to use drugs like acid and LSD, she reveals. Her mother's initial reaction was to have Carrie Grant, who "at the time experimented with LSD," phone Fisher and tell her about the side-effects of the drugs. "He told me, 'Don't eat acid.' But I kept eating acid," Fisher said.

Fisher partially blames her drug use as a way she dealt with her bouts with depression. At first, she didn't even trust her doctors' suggested treatments, but at age 28, she was diagnosed with manic depression and bi-polar disorder after overdosing on pills.

Her treatments for the disorders included electro-convulsive therapy three times a week for three weeks, when she first started. "I loved it!... But I lost four months of memory," she reveals.

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Stupid Celebrity Quotes

"It was like being naked -- I would love to be naked in front of you" and "In this film I cut that hard seed, and inside that seed was a kind of liquid cream substance of the man I am, or the woman you are." -- Jean-Claude Van Damme talking to a Newsweek reporter.

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Women on a rape case would say [the female victim] was asking for it. The only reason I can think of is that they're sexually jealous." -- Helen Mirren on how women jury members are more likely to side with a rapist than the victim

Gareth Cattermole, Getty Images

"There is a huge boom in autism right now because inattentive mothers and competitive dads want an explanation for why their dumb-ass kids can't compete academically ... Yer kid is NOT autistic. He's just stupid. Or lazy. Or both." -- Denis Leary in his book 'Why We Suck'

Andrew H. Walker, Getty Images

Alaska governor Sarah Palin would be "gang-raped by my big black brothers" if she visited New York. -- Actress Sandra Bernhard during a diatribe in her one-woman show.

Andrew H. Walker, Getty Images

"You get someone like Russell Crowe, and you want to say to the camera 'He is a piece of' ... get ready to bleep this ... 'f------ s---.'" -- Comedian Joan Rivers apparently didn't quite know her stint on British talk show 'Loose Women' was live. She was booted off for her tirade.

Andrew H. Walker, Getty Images

"You are a rude, thoughtless little pig." -- Alec Baldwin blasted his then-11-year-old daughter for not taking his phone call in early 2007.

M. Brown, Getty Images

"The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world." -- Mel Gibson went on an anti-Semitic tirade to police after getting busted for drunk driving in 2006.

Matt Sayles, AP

"George Bush doesn't care about black people." -- Kanye West stunned a live audience -- and Mike Myers -- when he lashed out at the president during a televised fundraiser following Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Matt Peyton, NBC

"I am truly not one to give advice. I'm divorced and I stole my best friend's husband." -- Denise Richards, on if she had any advice for Paris Hilton. Richards dated Richie Sambora - ex-husband of her former pal Heather Locklear.

Richard Drew, AP

"I like her because she's homely. She must have something else going on because it's not like she's gorgeous or anything." -- Kimberly Stewart, in a 2005 interview with Blender, commenting on Jennifer Aniston's looks.

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The root of her book though is about the constant competition for her mother's attention, which it seems she still hasn't found.

"My parents had this incredibly vital relationship with an audience, like with muscle and blood. This was the main competition I had for my parents' attention, an audience. People like you. You know who you are," she writes. "Even this book is a pathetic bid for the attention I lacked as a newborn."

Recalling her younger days, Fisher talks about having to deal with her mother's fame. "It was complicated to go out in public with my mother because she was very famous. She belonged to the world... It was like being in a parade. In a way, my mother was an event... So it was not like having private time with Mom. And I really didn't like sharing her. It seemed almost unsanitary," she writes.

"I saw the heartbreak of celebrity and said, 'Get me away from that,'" she said.

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2008-11-21 10:23:28

<< Jennifer Aniston: Dangerous -- I'm Not Obsessed

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MerGIZMO

12:57 PMDec 14 2008

DenimBlueForever, you sound pretty angry and not at all compassionate. You must not have a clue about mental illness or anything else for that matter. Good luck to you.

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MerGIZMO

12:55 PMDec 14 2008

Merle WOW that is pretty sxxxid comment........

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Copacabana7

02:00 AMDec 14 2008

I have bi-polar disorder and it is the same as manic depression...I wonder who the hell wrote that article! I am glad I never needed shock treatments, I saw a lot of people lose their short term memory from those treatments..but I guess if anti depressants dont work, that is what they do. I am GUESSING Carrie's drug use is what led to her mental illness UNLESS it runs in her family...I think coming from a dysfunctional home life and wanting her mother's attention didn't HELP matters as well BUT I don't think that made her Bi-polar. I could sit here and say because I am a sexual abuse survivor, that is why I am bi-polar but that isn't what caused the illness...it's a chemical imbalance...like a diabetic lacks insulin, a bi-polar lacks Lithium, a salt all of us have in our bodies. As the saying goes: I have mental illness but it does NOT have me :-) Rock on, Carrie!

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Dickjjdic

10:05 PMDec 14 2008

Big deal. In 1980 I had EEE. I did'nt get any hrlp from family or neighbors. I was off work for 4 1?2 MOnths & my wife had to do everything. Boo Hoo.

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RAICHA

08:03 PMDec 14 2008

Cary Grant. A movie legend. Geez, get an editor.

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Johnjajm

07:55 PMDec 14 2008

Carey Grant's first name is spelled wrong in the article. I like Carrie and wish she was in more movies.

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TomGrant3

07:55 PMDec 14 2008

"Carrie" Grant? Are you from Mars? Or just illiterate?

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Eenzie101

07:41 PMDec 14 2008

love her !!! i want to hear more !!!!!

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Peas1234

07:30 PMDec 14 2008

I REMEMBER WHEN EDDIE FISHER LEFT DEBBIE REYNOLD'S FOR ELZABETH TAYLOR!!! DEBBIE WAS IN SHOCK!!! EDDIE FISHER JUST UPPED AND LEFT HIS WHOLE FAMILY, SO I BELIEVE IT WAS HER FATHER EDDIE FISHER WHO DESTRPYED THE FAMILY, POOR DEBBIE WAS OUT WORKING HER REAR END OFF!! WHAT A WOMEN, I'VE ALWAYS LOVED AND RESPECTED HER!!

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JULY4JWS

07:05 PMDec 14 2008

Listen, I ADORE Carrie Fisher who gives others HOPE and exposes mental illness for what it is. Her wit is amazing and she's a joy of an interview! It takes something special to own up to these illnesses and laugh at yourself. Go Carrie GO!!

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