Joe Pantoliano’s Painful Battle With Depression And Childhood Trauma

Veteran actor Joe Pantoliano said depression almost destroyed his life, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

"I was a mess for a long time, and it was because of adolescent childhood trauma," the Sopranos alum, 73, said.

But it didn't cause him to lose his sense of humor – he quipped depression is "really a bummer," and that "at least with bipolar, you've got the highs." Article continues below advertisement

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Until he sought professional treatment, he "self-medicated, and nearly destroyed" himself, Pantoliano said.

He relied on the "seven deadly symptoms" to deal with his feelings. They included " alcohol , what was available, women – you know, risky behavior, act first and then