Why was Amanda Bynes found walking *nude* in the streets of LA?
Amanda Bynes rose to fame as a talented comedienne and actress, but the last decade of her life has been plagued by personal setbacks and a series of troubling incidents. Bynes, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, was found roaming the streets of Los Angeles without any clothes this past weekend. She was quickly placed under psychiatric hold.
The shocking incident spread like wildfire online, with many questioning Bynes’s current mental state and the circumstances that led to her roaming the street without anybody to ensure her safety.
Here’s what you need to know about Bynes, her complicated personal history and her latest incident.
Bipolar history
Bynes, who was born in 1986, became the face of Nickelodeon before she was even a teenager. She was a standout performer on All That! and The Amanda Show, and was able to parlay her success into hit films and the long-running sitcom What I Like About You.
Bynes announced that was retiring from acting in 2010, which surprised many as she was still an in-demand presence onscreen (she has just appeared in the comedy Easy A). Nevertheless, it was after her retirement that her personal struggles came to light. Bynes received a series of DUIs and hit-and-run charges between 2012 and 2014, which led to her being ordered to attend psychiatric treatment.
The actress also used Twitter as an outlet for bizarre rants, including one in which she made sexually explicit comments about the rapper Drake. In late 2014, Bynes confirmed on Twitter that she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and was actively seeking help.
Conservatorship
The idea of a conservatorship has been more widely recognized in recent years, due to the public legal battle between Britney Spears and her father. Bynes underwent a similar struggle when her mother Lynn was granted conservatorship in 2013. It was initially meant to be temporary, but it was switched to permanent the following year.
Bynes seemed to rebound from this difficult period towards the end of the decade, appearing on the cover of Paper Magazine and discussing her past struggles with drug use. Bynes was also able to end her conservatorship in 2022, and entered into an engagement with a man named Paul Michael, though it was eventually called off.
Bynes was set to attend a 90s convention this month, but she dropped out at the last minute, citing an undisclosed illness. It wasn’t until news of her roaming around naked broke that the specifics of the illness became clear.
The LA incident
An eyewitness told TMZ that Bynes flagged down a car whilst walking around nude, and when she talked with the driver of the car, she admitted that she was coming down from a psychotic episode.
Bynes called 9-1-1, and medics arrived soon after. She was determined to be 5150 and placed under psychiatric hold. A 5150 usually lasts 72 hours but can run longer depending on the needs of the patient. Michael, Bynes’s former fiance, told Page Six that the actress had been off her meds, which likely contributed to the episode.
Given the freshness of the story, there are still lots of details being released. We hope that Bynes is on the mend, and that those around her can provide the support needed for her to get back on her feet.
