It is not a good decade for starlets. The pressures of early fame and the demands for keeping up with their careers, usually adorned with a set of pushy relatives and unhealthy romantic relationships, have proved too much for a handful of the former adorable little girls we grew up watching on our TVs.
First it was Britney Spears, then Lindsay Lohan. Now it is Amanda Bynes who is at risk of becoming the next cautionary tale to young actresses everywhere.
Bynes rose to fame as a Nickelodeon darling, first on the show "All That" and later on her very own "The Amanda Show." She then moved to the big screen, starring alongside Colin Firth in the comedy "What A Girl Wants," and "Easy A" alongside Emma Stone.
But only a few years later, Bynes is collecting headlines about her raucous driving, fits of rage and hints to eating disorders. Is she about to crumble? Here are five signs that she might just be on the verge of an emotional breakdown.
1. She doesn't know what to do with her life
In 2010, Bynes announced she was retiring from acting to focus on a fashion career.
"I don't love acting anymore, so I've stopped doing it," she wrote on her now deleted Twitter account.
A mere month later she had a change of heart and "unretired," explaining that she was just taking "time off." Then, in 2012, she said that she was retiring again. Might this be the last time?
2. She has her share of issues with the authorities
Last year, the U.S. saw no less than five headlines about Bynes' danger behind the wheel. She was first stopped for talking on her cell phone while driving, later got charged with a DUI and then with a hit-and-run. This progression of driving nightmares resulted in the Department of Motor Vehicles in California suspending her driver's license.
3. She has no safety net
In September 2012, she reportedly moved from Los Angeles to New York to pursue her fashion career. Her whole family lives 3,000 miles away in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Bynes has had problems with her neighbors in downtown Manhattan, who have called the police on her a few times over late night noise. She is not friends with anybody in the business, and is usually spotted by paparazzi alone.
4. She has begun to enjoy the wild side
In 2007, Bynes spoke out against clubbing and raucous partying.
"I think I'll go out as much as I've ever gone out ... which is not a lot. I don't need to be out at the clubs."
Then, in 2009 she changed her mind, saying that she is "reevaluating" how to spend her social time.
"I'm finding a balance. I can have a drink and dance if I want. You have to go out to meet people and guys. I'm in that phase."
Warning sign?
5. She has self-image issues ... serious ones
Bynes has always stated how "easily" she gains weight and how hard she works to keep it down ... but alarms are ringing that maybe she wants to keep it too low.
"I am at 121 lb now -- 100 lb is my goal," she told US Weekly.
Given that the former actress is 5-feet-8-inches, many a nutritionist would argue that is too thin. Aside from this, lately she has been twitting pictures of herself with odd facial piercings, cheap looking blond wigs and pounds of makeup -- a far cry from the cherubic, fresh-faced teenager the public loved.
What is next, Amanda?
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