Billionaire James Packer reveals he’s on Ozempic but still gaining weight due to a secret addiction – and opens up on the real reasons for his string of failed relationships
As I read through this heart-wrenching account of Packer’s mental health journey, it struck me how similar our paths can be, even if they lead to different destinations. The relentless pursuit of balance, the struggle with medications that leave us feeling like zombies, and the never-ending battle against our vices – these are experiences I think we all share, to some extent.
James Packer has publicly acknowledged that he’s been using the weight-loss drug Ozempic, yet he continues to gain weight because of a hidden struggle with addiction.
The previous head of Crown Resorts, in an interview with Liam Bartlett on Channel Seven, discussed the authentic causes behind his series of unsuccessful relationships and why he thinks his former spouses deserved more satisfying connections.
In a candid interview onboard the billionaire’s $300million superyacht off Tahiti for Seven Spotlight, the 57-year-old revealed he had been battling severe mental health issues for over three decades.
At the tender age of 33, I experienced my initial mental health crisis following the collapse of my venture, One.Tel, in May 2001. This event proved to be a challenging turning point in my life.
His initial endeavor represented an effort to break free from the renowned legacy of his father, Kerry, yet it unfortunately led him into a crushing burden of over $327 million in debt.
Previously, the individual who once inherited Channel Nine, admitted that this business endeavor ultimately led to the demise of his brief marriage to his ex-wife, the former model, Jodhi Meares.
‘I had a breakdown in after One.Tel went broke,’ he told Bartlett. ‘I felt terrible.
Beyond financial matters, my marriage experienced a significant breakdown. It became a headline-grabbing issue, appearing frequently in the newspapers. To me, it seemed as if it was the most talked-about topic of the time.
A few years after his father passed away in December 2005, the new proprietor of the Nine Network chose to exit the media industry and instead channeled substantial resources into Crown.
The financial risk and resulting debt significantly impacted Packer’s mental health and marriage to his second wife, Erica Baxter, who was previously a model. This strain was not easily separable from their relationship due to the weight of the financial burden.
In simpler terms, Packer admitted to turning destructive towards himself and using substances as a coping mechanism for his bipolar disorder, which ultimately led to their separation in 2013.
He mentioned to Bartlett that he didn’t intend to discuss it extensively as he had probably consumed more alcohol than was wise, leading him to act in ways he regretted.
I strongly recommend against doing it, as I believe it may have contributed to some of my mental health issues – there’s no question about it.
‘I felt very guilty for my marriage to Erica not working.
‘She deserved better than I gave, and I became self-destructive.
‘Looking back, I definitely went into mania in 2013.
When I’m experiencing mania, I tend to feel at the top of my game. However, it’s worth noting that during these periods, I might also be at my least reasonable.
‘And as I look back, that probably cost me my marriage with Erica.’
Regardless of the challenges they faced during those tough times, the ex-pair, parents of Jackson, Indigo, and Emmanuelle Sheelah, continue to maintain a strong bond.
It doesn’t apply to another well-known ex-lover of Packer, the American pop singer and past fiancée Mariah Carey, in the same way.
This pair who proved to be not a good fit for each other began dating in 2015, and made their engagement known globally in January 2016. However, their relationship ended in October of the same year following a highly contentious split that was widely publicized.
For a period of time, I was engaged to Mariah Carey. Coincidentally, during the same week, news broke out about our breakup. However, contrary to what she believed, I didn’t plant the story about our split in a magazine, as it portrayed her negatively.
‘And so she was threatening to say things about me, and so it was a train wreck.’
It was following his ugly bust-up with Carey that Packer decided to seek professional help in late 2016 and then, in 2017, gave up alcohol for good.
The next year, when he experienced a troubling episode that seemed like a hallucination, he decided it was past due for him to give up much more than his drinking habit.
‘I had a hallucination and I was sober,’ he told Bartlett.
Initially, I felt as if the entire world was conspiring against me. I struggled to express what I believed about people during that time, for it brings a sense of shame to articulate it now.
‘But when I had this hallucination, I resigned off all of my company boards.
‘I called my mother and said, “Mum, you’ve got to come and help me.”‘
For the subsequent two weeks, Packer stayed at McLean Hospital, a renowned psychiatric institution linked with Harvard University. During this time, they diagnosed him as having bipolar disorder.
In my own words, I admitted, “The medications they gave me might have been just as bad, if not worse, than the ailment I was initially struggling with.
As of late, the psychiatrist I’ve been seeing has informed me that I exhibit symptoms consistent with Bipolar Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Essentially, they believe I might be dealing with all three conditions.
As a devoted admirer, let me share a perspective: When they labeled me bipolar, it felt like a misinterpretation of my spirit. Yet, what my doctors truly craved was to keep me away from the throes of mania – a state they found unsettling. So long as I maintained composure and avoided that condition, their contentment knew no bounds.
He said that early focus on avoiding manic episodes led to a debilitating experience with medication.
He mentioned that he started taking lithium in the year 2022. In just about two weeks, he felt like a lifeless, automated being. He felt utterly lifeless and robotic.
Packer mentioned that he feels happier these days, having switched to a new type of medication, though he prefers not to disclose the specifics.
He confided in Bartlett, saying, “I’m accompanied by a traveling nurse, and I must admit, it makes me quite self-conscious.
‘I couldn’t tell you what I’m on because I’m on a bunch of things and someone does it for me.’
The one thing he knows for certain is that he is on Ozempic – the only problem is: it isn’t working.
‘I’m on it and I’m putting on weight,’ he said.
Meanwhile, though he asserted that he had given up alcohol, he worried that perhaps he had just swapped one addiction for another instead.
‘I’m eating a lot of sugar. I’m consuming a lot of sugar,’ Packer confessed.
‘It’s just truckloads of sugar, truckloads of sugar – biscuits, everything, all of that.’
Today the mogul tips the scales at about 130kg.
However, he considered the change favorable considering his enhanced mental health status, promising himself to focus on losing weight once his mental health was fully stabilized.
He said to Bartlett, “I’m dealing with things one step at a time. I feel much more mentally sound now compared to how I felt six months back.
‘I went into mania in 2022 and then, from 2022 until mid-23, I was on lithium.
‘So I lost the weight. But mentally I wasn’t great.
‘And since then, I’ve put the weight on, but I’ve been mentally better.
To put it simply, this process feels like a voyage of discovery for me. Unlike someone who might seem to have everything figured out or claim to have all the solutions, I don’t consider myself as such.
‘I’m here saying, “I’m not that person (but) I’m doing my best.”‘
For free mental health support call Lifeline Australia: 13 11 14
For support with anxiety and depression call Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36
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2024-09-08 14:07