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.
