Overview
- Esposito told Maria Menounos’ Heal Squad podcast that years of unexplained symptoms left her deeply depressed, caused panic and suicidal thoughts, and derailed her acting career.
- She says doctors repeatedly misdiagnosed her with conditions such as multiple sclerosis, irritable bowel syndrome, or stress while treating symptoms rather than probing for a medical cause.
- After a later doctor diagnosed celiac disease, Esposito was told her case was so severe her liver was failing and she had major nutrient deficiencies.
- In the months around that diagnosis she was put on heavy medications, faced consideration of electroconvulsive therapy, and was briefly admitted to a psychiatric ward under the alias “Betty Franklin.”
- Esposito says removing gluten and repairing nutritional deficits reversed her panic attacks, inspired her 2014 memoir Jennifer’s Way, and highlights the need for better testing and coordination between gastroenterology and mental health care.