Amanda Bynes' Drinking Problem: Uncle Says 'She Needs Help'
There has been lots of speculation as to whether or not Amanda Bynes has a mental health issue or a substance abuse problem.
Her uncle, Ronald Bynes, told Celebuzz, alcohol is what has caused the star's decline.
"She needs to stop drinking and driving," Ronald said. "She needs help."
According to him, Amanda's parents are "in the dark" about her problems. The once tight-knit family now has a strained relationship with their daughter, who they do not speak to.
"After all these years, something has happened," he said. "I think she has some sort of resentment."
Although Ronald claims, her parents don't know "what's going on with her," he said, "They're very upset about her recent problems."
The Nickelodeon star was charged with a DUI and is also facing two charges of misdemeanor for hit-and-run incidents. After driving on a suspended license many times and getting into a minor fender bender, her vehicle was finally impounded and she was issued a misdemeanor on Sept. 16.
"I never knew she drank," Ronald said, though he admitted to not having much contact with his niece over the years. "As far as her dad knew, she never drank before. I don't know if she did it privately."
According to TMZ, her uncle isn't the only one that's worried about her. Many of her neighbors and gym acquaintances are concerned about her well-being. Amanda, for example, has been seen having long conversations with inanimate objects, laughing erratically for no reason and talking to herself answering her own questions.
Last week, she was photographed smoking what looked like marijuana and drove around San Fernando Valley, Calif. aimlessly for hours on a suspended license.
"Before this, this wasn't her personality," Ronald added. "She was a clean-cut girl. She was brought up in a good family. It's a bad situation."
For her uncle, legal woes are the least of his worries, "I'm just worried something worse may happen to her."
