Amanda Bynes Sought Help After a ‘Psychotic Episode,’ and Fans Are So Relieved

Amanda Bynes is getting the help she needs after a mental health crisis, and fans are glad she was able to recognize her predicament.

The She’s the Man star was reportedly spotted walking naked in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday, March 19, where she waved a car down and explained that she was coming down from a psychotic episode, per TMZ. The outlet reports that she called 911 “herself,” and was taken to a local police station. There, authorities determined that she should be put under a 5150, which is a 72-hour psychiatric hold in a hospital.

Bynes has exhibited erratic behavior in the past due to her mental health issues and substance abuse. But this time last year it seemed things were looking up for the former child star, as she was released from her conservatorship because, as her attorney put it, “she believes her condition is improved and protection of the court is no longer necessary.” (It’s important to note that, unlike in Britney Spears’s situation, Bynes was not pressured to make money while under her conservatorship, and she is reportedly close to her parents, who were her guardians.)

According to another TMZ source, Bynes’s parents aren’t considering another conservatorship at this time because the episode appears to be isolated; she’s recently been taking cosmetology classes and living independently, both good signs. Her parents are glad that the actor was able to get help herself, and fans online are also proud of Bynes for recognizing her situation.

“The fact that Amanda Bynes flagged a car down, told them she was having a psychotic episode, and called 911 herself actually gives me a lot of hope for her well-being. That’s a huge deal. When she’s ready, I hope she can be proud of herself for that,” wrote one Twitter user. Added another, “Amanda Bynes demonstrated a really impressive level of self awareness and commitment to her mental health. She’s clearly been doing the work—she understands her illness, checks in with herself, and probably had a plan for how to seek help once she recognized signs of psychosis.” 

Fellow actor Sophia Bush tweeted a thread about the nuances of the Bynes story: