Call it the curse of the leading man: Why TV megastars like Jon Hamm and Kit Harington check into rehab when their series ends

New York Post

Four years ago, Hamm checked into rehab shortly before the airing of Mad Men's final episodes. Now Harington seems to be following in his footsteps in checking into the "Rolls-Royce" of rehab centers to reportedly cope with Game of Thrones ending. “It has all these connotations, but it’s just an extended period of talking about yourself,” Hamm said in 2016 of his rehab experience. “People go for all sorts of reasons, not all of which are chemically related. But there’s something to be said for pulling yourself out of the grind for a period of time and concentrating on recalibrating the system. And it works. It’s great.” Donna Rockwell, a New York City-based clinical psychologist who specializes in the psychology of fame and celebrity, points out to the New York Post that Hamm and Harington were coming off of "gigantic projects," adding that “you’re not just calling it in — you’re taking on another character, you’re becoming another person.” She adds that leaving a big role is a deep loss that is hard for a normal person to imagine. “The strongest and most grounded among us would find it difficult to not look for coping mechanisms,” says Rockwell. That’s especially true, she adds, because those stars have become accustomed to a certain level of attention and status — worsening their “looming fear of being a has-been.”

ALSO:

• Was Kit Harington mocking his movie career in his SNL monologue a sign of his post-Game of Thrones worries?
• Sophie Turner is done playing Sansa Stark: "I'm ready-ish, to say goodbye to her. I think my watch has ended"
• Sophie Turner is stunned learning the Game of Thrones Season 1 poster may have predicted the series finale
• David Benioff and D.B. Weiss dump their longtime manager as they seek an overall deal
• Tywin Lannister actor Charles Dance is now defending the series finale after initially saying it confused him: "I thought everything would turn out wonderfully and poor little Tyrion would end up sitting on the throne. It was not to be. But you can't please all the people all the time."
• Game of Thrones fans spot another final season error: What happened to the mountains surrounding King's Landing?