Jennifer Esposito recently shared her long battle with health issues that affected her career, led to severe depression, and resulted in a stay at a psychiatric ward. Eventually, doctors discovered she had celiac disease.
On Maria Menounos’ podcast “Heal Squad,” Esposito, 53, talked about her time as a young actress in New York City when mysterious physical and mental problems forced her to halt her career. “I had a whole life beginning in the city, and I was a young actor and I had to stop everything,” Esposito stated.
Esposito explained that she experienced deep depression and suicidal thoughts while doctors tried to find the underlying issue. “They brought me to a psychologist, like they had me on every medication,” she remembered. At one point, they considered shock treatment because she reacted poorly to medication. Her mother even resorted to prayer for her recovery.
Eventually, Esposito suspected a link between her symptoms and nutrition. “I realized that there was a major connection with what I was eating and my vitamins and then my body,” she said. While working on the ABC comedy “Samantha Who?” she experienced severe physical symptoms, including hair loss and nail damage.
I had hair falling out, nails falling off,she said, recalling a specific incident where a tooth fell out during filming.A tooth fell out of my mouth, like literally in the middle of a scene,” she recalled.
Over time, Esposito faced numerous misdiagnoses, with possibilities ranging from multiple sclerosis to irritable bowel syndrome. A therapist attributed stress as the culprit. She noted, “We don’t ever treat the actual underlying issue. We treat symptoms in this country, in America.” Seeking her own solutions, she explored holistic healers, aura cleansing, and vegan dietary options.
In a bid to recharge, she tried attending a non-denominational church. During a drive, a piece of wood shattered her windshield, urging her to persist in finding answers. Two days later, she received a celiac disease diagnosis.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition triggered by gluten, damaging the small intestine and affecting nutrient absorption. Symptoms extend beyond digestion to include fatigue and neurological problems. Treatment requires a lifelong gluten-free diet.
Following her diagnosis, Esposito cut gluten from her diet, but her recovery was tough. She battled vitamin D deficiency and had extreme sensitivity to sunlight. They had me on four Klonopin a day, and I was still a trembling mess,
she said. At one point, she even slept in the kitchen to avoid light stimulation.
Two months post-diagnosis, Esposito saw a medical expert interested in studying her severe case. During one visit, she felt so overwhelmed she begged the doctor for hospitalization. Doctor, you got to keep me here because I’m jumping out of my skin,” she pleaded. This led to her being placed in a psychiatric ward under an alias.
Reflecting on her ordeal, Esposito forced herself to stay calm, eventually understanding her condition better. She emphasized the importance of gut health. If you heal your gut, I promise you, not everything can go away,”
she noted, highlighting the time-consuming nature of recovery.
These days, Esposito, who now lives abroad, enjoys life at a different pace. “This is my life. I get to enjoy time,” she said. “I sit down and eat lunch. I sit down and talk to people. There’s no phones on the tables.” She believes, Celiac disease saved my life. One hundred percent.
Her diagnosis forced her to transform her lifestyle, avoiding stress-induced harm.