Lindsay Lohan Was Bullied in High School, Which Could Explain a Lot

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Lindsay Lohan revealed on Twitter Tuesday that she was bullied in high school. And according to a leading child psychiatrist we spoke with, that admission could go a long way in explaining why she's lived such a troubled life.

After watching Katie Couric interview two bullying victims, Lohan went online to open up about her own teenage struggles. "I was actually bullied @ my public school when i would leave to film. Whenever I came back... girls & boys would call me names," she wrote.

Is it possible that bullying set Lohan down a rocky path? Are a bunch of insensitive school kids responsible for all of her legal troubles? Dr. David Arrendondo, a leading child psychiatrist who studied at Harvard Medical School, thinks it's worth exploring.

"Surprisingly enough, we have underestimated the impact of child bullying on adult behaviors like drug abuse and bulimia." He continued: "It's not until recently that we just realized this kind of trauma does create despair and self loathing, and that they'll turn this around and try to cover it up with alcohol, drugs, whatever is around."

Given the right resources, Dr. Arrendondo said victims can avoid these pitfalls. Unfortunately f! or Lohan, she didn't have the best support system growing up. Her parents split up when she was 3, reunited, separated again in 2005, and finally got divorced in 2007. Her dad, Michael Lohan (seen at right with Michelle "Bombshell" McGee, best known for her role in Sandra Bullock's split from Jesse James) has regularly drawn her family's personal life into the public eye ever since.

"The strongest protection against this is to have a loving, supportive, nurturing support system around you," Dr. Arrendondo said. "You know, your parents, your family. Someone stable to put it into perspective. That's why it becomes more significant, [Lohan] might not have the protective factors that you'd normally expect."

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