5 Celebrities Who Survived Child Abuse

Behind some of the most messed-up celebrities (and some who were able to cope) are some pretty messed-up parents.

They could be stage parents, parents who are going through separation, or just plain free-loaders, investing in their child’s celebrity status, so that, in time, their abuse will pay back its dividends.

Macaulay Culkin – Let’s start off with someone who was able to cope with his parent’s abuse. A celebrity since the age of 4, this child star made a hit as the cute and funny kid from Home Alone. The most famous and richest child star in history, he alone set the standard for how kids could be cute by interacting with his older co-stars. By the age of 13, he was already earning millions per project. By the age of 14, he was feeling burnt-out, with the so-so reception of The Pagemaster, Getting Even With Dad and Richie Rich, while it would appear that he lost his touch, some say that it the conflict between his parents was the main reason that he wasn’t doing so good. Behind the scenes, his parents were talking about separation, and whoever was in custody of Mack would surely get part of his fortune. In 1996, he declared that he won’t take in new roles until the issue with his parents gets resolved. By 1997, his father, Kit Culkin relinquished custody to his mother, Patricia Brentrup, and Macaulay only returned to acting nearly four years later, in 2001, on stage, in a London Production of “Madame Melville,” his teen years wasted, all because of his parents.

Jennifer Aniston – Her mother, Nancy, granted an interview about her daughter on tabloid television during the peak of Jen’s fame in Friends. As a parent, she should always take her daughter’s best interest in consideration, but instead, she abused it, and capitalized on it. Jen was so angry that she cut ties to her mom, even going so far as not inviting her for her wedding with Brad Pitt — in possible retaliation, her mother wrote a book, titled, “From Mother And Daughter To Friends: A Memoir.” It details how to cope with life when your celebrity child turns their back on abuse.

Drew Barrymore – She’s one of the most adored faces in movies, but suffered abuse at such a young age. Her father, John, left before she was born, and her mother, Jaid, was a picture of neglect. Which caused Drew’s early rise to stardom was also her downfall — an alcoholic by 9, marijuana smoker by 10, and snorting cocaine by 12, while her mother, who was also her manager at the time apparently did nothing. By 15, and after 3 rehab visits, a suicide attempt and recovery, she was able to get herself emancipated from her mother.

Lindsay Lohan – She’s currently in recovery, but that’s not to say her mother, Dina Lohan, wasn’t behind all that’s happened to her so far. The abuse she put Lindsay through is just … appalling. Capitalizing on her success to rocket-boost herself and Lindsay’s sister Ali to getting a reality TV show, isn’t something they should reward moms for. Which she did.

Britney Spears – The best for last. Now everyone wonders how she could be the same Britney from the 90’s, when she’s had A LOT of horrible news about her. Let’s not forget that, in her teens, she was already the family’s breadwinner. And if that kind of abuse doesn’t make you grow up a little messed up, what will?

Reneena Davidson is an adventurer by heart, who loves the new discoveries along the way. She writes whatever's on her mind and keeps it in her blog called Grandeur Living.