Mischa's Partying Fueled by Low Self-Esteem: Pals

Actress "isn't comfortable with her body"

Mischa Barton's mental meltdown was ignited by nagging body image issues that spiraled out of control and led her down a drug-filled path of partying and self-loathing, sources close to the starlet said.

"She has big self-esteem issues. ... She hates her legs," a source close to Barton told People. "She isn't comfortable with her body. It's been a big source of stress and self-hate."  

The "O.C." star, who has been hospitalized in a psychiatric ward following a breakdown last week, was photographed looking bloated the day before her meltdown and negative press about her weight exacerbated her insecurity.

"She had a big problem with those photos of her cellulite. ... She didn't like it," an insider said. "That just was something that contributed to her spiraling but she didn't do much to fix it because of her partying." 

The insecurity began when unflattering photos of the starlet showing her legs dimpled with cellulite surfaced in the tabloids last year.

"[She was] more pissed off than hurt and she complained a lot of about that," friends told the magazine.

The 23-year-old star, who plays a fashion model in her new TV series "The Beautiful Life," was removed from her Los Angeles home last week after she had a "freakout."

Barton reportedly had gone on a three-day, coke-fueled bender that left pals concerned she would kill herself, the New York Post reported. 

"She's running out of money and can't find love, so now she is looking for a good time to escape her misery," a source told the paper. "She is on a downward spiral. She is a mess."

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