Eric Stehfest: Schizophrenia and the road to recovery

The German actor's battle with the illness that nearly cost him everything

Eric Stehfest is a German actor best known for his roles in the soap opera Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten (Good Times, Bad Times) and the reality TV show Ich bin ein Star – Holt mich hier raus! (I'm a Celebrity – Get Me Out of Here!).

But few know that behind the facade of the successful actor, Stehfest was struggling with a secret battle against paranoid schizophrenia.

The onset of psychosis

The first signs of Stehfest's illness appeared in 2005, when he was 20 years old. He began experiencing delusions of grandeur, believing that he was a chosen one with a special mission.

He also became increasingly suspicious of those around him, convinced that they were plotting against him.

Hiding the illness

Stehfest initially tried to hide his symptoms from the world. He feared that if people found out about his illness, he would be labeled as crazy and unemployable.

So he kept his struggles to himself, even as they began to take a toll on his personal and professional life.

Rock bottom

In 2008, Stehfest's illness reached a crisis point. He suffered a psychotic break while on a work trip to Copenhagen, Denmark.

He was convinced that someone was trying to kill him and fled his hotel room in panic. He ended up lost and disoriented on the streets of Copenhagen, unable to find his way back to safety.

Diagnosis and treatment

After his psychotic break, Stehfest was finally diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. He was admitted to a psychiatric hospital, where he began to receive treatment.

With the help of medication and therapy, Stehfest's symptoms gradually began to improve. He learned to manage his delusions and paranoia, and he slowly started to rebuild his life.

Going public

In 2019, Stehfest decided to go public with his story. He wrote a book about his experiences with schizophrenia, and he began to speak out about the importance of mental health awareness.

Stehfest's story has helped to reduce the stigma surrounding schizophrenia and has inspired others who are struggling with the illness to seek help.