Marilyn Monroe, the renowned American actress, model, and singer, who is widely recognized as an iconic figure in popular culture, led a life that was constantly under the scrutiny of the public eye.
Living a fast-paced lifestyle, Monroe was portrayed as a major celebrity and primarily defined by her status as a s** symbol.
However, behind the glamour and fame, she faced significant challenges in her personal life due to the relentless attention from the media.
Struggling with depression, substance abuse, and severe anxiety, Monroe’s life took a downward spiral in 1960 while working on her final film, “The Misfits,” written by her then-husband Arthur Miller.
The movie depicted a story of a vulnerable, divorced woman (portrayed by Monroe) who falls in love with an older man.
Critics have drawn parallels between Miller’s screenplay and his troubled marriage with Monroe, which was deteriorating rapidly.
The filming of the movie proved to be physically and mentally exhausting, especially in the scorching conditions of the Nevada desert where temperatures soared above 100 degrees daily.
For Monroe, the experience of making the film turned into a nightmare.
Besides battling her own mental health issues, her co-star Clark Gable passed away from a heart attack shortly after filming, and her husband, Miller, started developing feelings for photographer Inge Morath right in front of her.
Following the completion of the film, Monroe and Miller announced their divorce on November 11, 1960.
Struggling to cope with her ongoing challenges, Monroe sought help from her psychoanalyst, Dr. Marianne Kris, who admitted her to the Payne Whitney Psychiatric Clinic in New York.
Expecting to receive restorative care, Monroe was shocked to find herself confined to a padded cell upon arrival, where she remained for four days.
After her release from the clinic, Monroe documented her distressing ordeal in a series of letters addressed to her second psychiatrist, Dr. Ralph Greenson.
She vividly described the lack of empathy and the harsh conditions she endured at Payne Whitney, feeling like she was imprisoned unjustly in a cell meant for severely disturbed and depressed patients.
In her letters, Monroe recounted how she attempted to maintain her composure by drawing parallels between the psychiatric ward and her acting experiences on film sets.
Frustrated and desperate for control, she even threatened self-harm with a razor blade if she was treated as “crazy.”
Despite being labeled as severely ill by the clinic staff, Monroe’s stay was cut short to only four days after her former husband, Joe DiMaggio, intervened and demanded her immediate release, disregarding objections from the clinic’s personnel.
