Perez Hilton’s friends are worried that his recent battle with sepsis may have triggered his terrifying self-harm incident, a source exclusively told Page Six.
We’re told Hilton’s close circle fears the gossip writer is suffering from post-sepsis psychiatric disorder.
The condition, which affects up to 50 percent of sepsis survivors, can cause “new or worsened physical, cognitive, and psychological problems for months to years after hospital discharge,” according to the Sepsis Alliance.
Clinical and forensic psychologist Dr. Andrew Mendonsa exclusively told Page Six Friday that sepsis survivors and other life-threatening illnesses can “have psychological and cognitive difficulties that continue well after the immediate medical crisis is over.”
“That can include depression, anxiety, trauma symptoms, sleep problems, fatigue, difficulty concentrating or remembering things, and sometimes changes in mood or behavior,” he said.
However, Mendonsa cautioned that not all people who have had sepsis will develop a mental health condition.
“Many people recover without significant psychological problems. It just means there is a meaningful group of survivors who do struggle afterward,” he said.
Mendonsa also noted that he is unable to determine whether Hilton’s sepsis contributed to his mental health scare, as he doesn’t have enough information about Hilton.
“I have never evaluated him, I have not reviewed his records, and I don’t know everything that was happening in his life at the time. So I can’t say that his sepsis caused or contributed to the reported self-harm,” he said.
“Self-harm and suicidal behavior are usually much more complicated than a single event or explanation,” he continued. “There can be medical, psychological, social, environmental, and situational factors interacting with one another.”
The University of California professor believes it would be fair to question whether his illness and recovery could be “part of the larger picture.”
“What we can’t responsibly do from the outside is conclude that the sepsis caused the incident,” he said. “That would require an actual evaluation and much more information than we have publicly.”
Hilton, born Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr., was hospitalized for three weeks in March after taking flu medication on an empty stomach. Hilton explained that he “developed an ulcer and then a perforation and then sepsis.”
Sepsis is a life-threatening condition in which the body’s extreme response to an infection can damage organs, cause dangerously low blood pressure and lead to death if not treated quickly, according to the Mayo Clinic.
“My stupidity landed me in the hospital for 21 days. It was the worst and best thing that’s ever happened to me,” he shared in a YouTube video at the time.
A month later, Hilton landed in the hospital again when he needed emergency surgery for a “massive” blood clot.
“His health struggles this year have been extreme. The sepsis honestly almost killed him,” a source told Page Six this week, adding, “I don’t know if people realize just how traumatic and horrific that was for him, both physically, but also emotionally.”
The entertainment personality, 48, was again hospitalized this Tuesday after livestreaming acts of self-harm from inside his Miami home.
Authorities received “multiple calls” reporting “an individual livestreaming acts of self-harm on social media,” The Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Office told Page Six in a statement.
Hilton was “safely recovered and transported” to the local hospital, where he received medical attention, cops said.
“The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Crisis Response Unit and Licensed Mental Health Professionals are also on scene providing support and resources to the individual’s family,” police added in the statement at the time.
Page Six exclusively obtained 911 dispatch audio, which revealed several units responding to a “suicide attempt.”
Surveillance footage obtained by Page Six captured a swarm of police cars outside of Hilton’s home.
“Mario, it’s the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, please step out of the house,” one officer can be heard repeatedly saying.
Cops were told Hilton was “alone” in his home at the time of the incident. However, his family members fled his home just moments before Hilton began to self-harm.
“Just minutes before the public livestream incident, Perez’s children, niece, and sister were inside the home,” his family shared in a statement Thursday.
“When it became clear that Perez was experiencing a severe mental health crisis and harming himself, they immediately fled to protect the children from witnessing any further trauma.”
Hilton welcomed three children via surrogate: Mario, 13, Mia, 11, and Mayte, 8.
The family confirmed that Hilton was able to communicate after receiving medical attention.
A source told the Daily Mail that Hilton’s first words after being transported to the hospital were, “I need help.”
“He’s a man in a lot of pain,” the source told the outlet, adding, “I think right now he’s focused on the physical, but it’s all tied together. No one deserves the torment he’s going through.”
Page Six has reached out to Hilton’s reps for comment.
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