JOE PANTOLIANO - PANTOLIANO STARTS DEPRESSION ORGANISATION

PANTOLIANO STARTS DEPRESSION ORGANISATION

Actor JOE PANTOLIANO has launched a non-profit organisation to educate people about mental illness, after he suffered from undiagnosed clinical depression for over 12 years. The Sopranos star has set up No Kidding, Me Too! to help remove the isolation surrounding those who have a mental illness. It took years for Pantoliano to come to terms with the fact he had the blues, and he was eventually diagnosed with depression in 2006. He admits he was relieved he finally did something about his mood swings. He says, "Nothing gave me pleasure. I had been feeling empty for a long time. "I had no lust for life, even though I had everything I ever wanted - a wife who loves me, great kids, a beautiful house. I never wanted to do anything besides sleep. I told myself, 'Snap out of it!' But I couldn't... "I (now) want to help people, so I'm coming out of the closet to say, 'I'm depressed and it's OK. It's an epidemic we need to fight.' I want people to know, 'It's not your fault.'"