Jean Cirillo, Ph.D.--       Anna Nicole Smith : Psychological Profile  Anna Nicole Smith was an accident waiting to happen. She had endured the most serious life stressors all within a period of a few months. Death of a child is the greatest stressor, even worse than death of a spouse, because there is always the sense that parents should die before their children. In Anna Nicole's case the guilt and feelings of inadequacy as a mother were likely to be greater than average due to her high profile and unusual lifestyle. Her family history of dysfunction and estrangement from those who could support her in times of crisis, could only leave her feeling alone and vulnerable in a hostile world. The severe stress of having been involved in a long term legal battle over her husband's fortune would create further depression and depletion of emotional resourses. On a deeper psychological level we have a woman who identified so strongly with Marilyn Monroe that she often claimed to be her daughter. Is it any coincidence that Marilyn's death at 36 may have paved the way for Anna Nicole's death at 39? Often too celebrities, having achieved fame and fortune at an early age feel that there is nowhere to go but downhill. Certainly Anna Nicole's bombshell image was her claim to fame. If she felt unable to take on a more mature female role and had no one to advise her on the process could age 39 have spelled death in her mind? Did Anna Nicole then, deliberately or not, quit while she was still an icon in much the same way as her role model Marilyn Monroe died so many years ago.  Jean Cirillo, Ph. D

Can you also explain why she lied about the paternity of the baby?  Her behavior in that aspect was incomprehensible.  How could she look that baby in the eyes and not see the real father?  I just don't get it.  Why do people use their children as leverage to get what they want?  Her conscience had to be bothering her at some point.  I can see the relationship with the husband/partner ending, but it should not interfere with a father's rights to see his child.    It just makes me wonder.  All that effort that she did just to shut the father out of everything, then she dies, and now he has the child and everything else.  Isn't there a lesson to be learned here?   

As a psychologist who has been on many tv shows to provide support to people AFTER they find out that their child's father is not who they thought it was, I have become certain of one thing. You CANNOT determine paternity without a DNA test. Thr one go likes like the father is often not.Anna Nicole was notorious for being controlled by men and Howard Stern wanted to be seen as the father. Ge could easily have convinced her that this was true, especially in her weakened state of mind. Thank goodness things finally orjef out as they did after Anna Nicole's tragic death. In the end the truth has a way of coming out and being seen and heard.

Wish to have your thoughts on what Larry Birkhead needs to tell his daughter when the time come.  A lot of negative things have been said about her mom, some of it just down right bad.  At what age does he tell her the truth?  Do you think that she will blame Howard K. Stern?  Some of the things that I have read in some of the sites are just down right dirty.  I don't think that he is a murderer, but that he just used some very poor judgement with her medications and how sick she really was.  He will likely blame himself the rest of his life.  I admire Larry for burying the hatchet with him.  The Bible says that you're supposed to turn the other cheek.  I don't know if I could be as kind to Stern, but I think that Birkhead doing the right thing with putting it all behind him.  Many people are critical of Birkhead selling the photos.  What are your thoughts on this?  I don't have a problem.  Wish that someone would pay me a million dollars for a pic of my child.  I believe that Anna's finances were in pretty bad shape.  Birkhead has a lot of lawyer bills to pay.  Besides, his daughter should be raised in the lifestyle that her mom wanted her to have.  Anna Nicole sold pics of the baby when she was born.  What's the difference?   

It was lucky that Larry Birkhead did turn out to be the father. Thr child will have the most normal life with him. I don't think it was difficult for him to bury the hatchet with Howard Stern because Larry ultimately got what he wanted when the truth came out. As far as selling the pictures, let's face it. Thr daughter of Anna Nicole Smith is a public figure. If her father hadn't sold pictures of her, someone else would. Larry appears to be a forthright person who will be honest in telling his daughter both positives and negatives about her mother, before she hears distorted versions from others. Kudos to Larry Birkhead for fighting and winning the right to provide his daughter with real parental love and a well-balanced lifestyle. Jean