Psychologist says Perez Hilton's on-camera self-harm was likely a cry for help, family confirms he can communicate

The family of celebrity blogger Perez Hilton released a statement Wednesday confirming that he can communicate following a mental health crisis that occurred Tuesday evening.

The family disclosed that Hilton's children, niece, and sister witnessed the onset of the crisis inside the home before fleeing the scene to prevent the children from witnessing further trauma.

A TikTok livestream broadcast on Tuesday depicted Hilton harming himself for several minutes.

Dan Romer, a psychologist with the University of Pennsylvania, noted that such actions are often a "cry for help."

"Pain is very complicated," Romer said. "So why would someone inflict pain on themselves? Probably for some purpose, and one purpose would be, 'Hey, look at me … I'm in crisis.'"

TikTok faced scrutiny regarding the livestream, with reports suggesting the video remained accessible for 15 minutes and was delayed by a moderator error. However, a U.S. spokesperson for the platform told CBS News Miami that the content was flagged within minutes and that subsequent streams were closed within 90 seconds.

The company confirmed it alerted law enforcement to the situation, and Hilton's TikTok account has been banned for violating the app's guidelines.