James Packer at a crossroad as 'dark clouds' of mental illness circle Media Man Int

James Packer at a crossroad as 'dark clouds' of mental illness circle - 21st March 2018

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"Best Christmas ever", James Packer with his children Indigo, Jackson and Emmanuelle, along with their mother and his ex-wife Erica at their home in Aspen for Christmas 2017. Photo: Supplied

by Andrew Hornery

It is not the first time the "dark clouds" of mental illness have gathered around billionaire James Packer.

But what makes his resignation on Wednesday morning as a director of his casino company, Crown Resorts, different from previous episodes is his willingness to publicly recognise the depression and anxiety he has suffered quietly for many years.

Currently living between homes in Aspen and Los Angeles, where he is understood to be this week, it is unclear if Packer is seeking any treatment, either privately or in a facility, for the unspecified mental health issues.

Some of his closest associates say they are "shocked" by Wednesday's announcement, revealing he had appeared "happy" and relaxed only recently - especially when surrounded by his three young children who now live with their mother, second ex-wife, Erica Packer, in the upmarket Los Angeles community of Bel Air.

Others, however, have seen close-up the casino tsar become increasingly withdrawn, cutting a forlorn and lonely figure in recent photographs.

Around Christmas time he declined to comment on his latest relationship, with New York socialite Kylie Lim, out of "respect" for his former wife Erica. Whether Packer and Lim are still together is uncertain, but Packer declared he had the "best" Christmas ever with Erica and their children.

His first wife, former bikini model Jodhi Meares, also spent time with him over the holiday period.

In January, PS asked Packer about his friendship with his ex-wives, to which he sagely responded: "For better or worse the two women who know me best are my best friends."

He made no mention of his most recent fiancee, the pop singer Mariah Carey, with whom he unceremoniously split a year ago amid a blaze of tawdry headlines in his new American homeland, and later described the relationship as a "mistake".

Indeed, since then his mood has declined markedly, though he has been here before.

From the public fall from grace delivered by the 2001 One.Tel collapse and the implosion of his first marriage to Meares in 2002, it was clear the pressure of living up to one of the most famous and influential names in the land weighed heavily on Packer.

In the following years, Packer became a keen follower of the controversial Church of Scientology, attributing it to helping with his mental wellbeing, under the tutelage of the church's most famous parishioner Tom Cruise.

But more recently, Scientology has played a lesser role in Packer's life. Last July PS revealed former high-profile Scientology spokesman Tommy Davis, who was hired by Packer in May the previous year, had quietly parted ways from Packer's CPH investment company.

Indeed one of the most obvious barometers of his state of mind has been his fluctuating weight, with bouts of depression accompanied by sudden and dramatic weight gain.

Then there is the incendiary temper, with Packer prone to bouts of explosive rage that have cost him some of his most valued relationships, from within his immediate family to business associates, and even gossip columnists. Launching into a tirade, he would be unstoppable, seemingly oblivious to the collateral damage his meltdowns would inevitably create.

Recent photos of a shirtless Packer taken late last year in Mexico indicate he may be at his heaviest since his 2011 gastric lap band surgery, which saw him drop a staggering 35 kilograms in a few short months.

The latest weight gain has come at a time when he has become estranged from some of the once most-trusted characters in his life, including his lifelong best friend David Gyngell. The pair have had little - if any - contact since their infamous Bondi Beach brawl in 2014. Gyngell declined to comment on Wednesday's news.

Similarly, Packer's only sibling, his sister Gretel Packer, has not seen much of her brother since they carved up the family fortune and finalised the estate of their late father Kerry Packer two years ago.

Packer spoke publicly last year about the family estrangement, explaining how his poor relationship with Gretel had upset their mother, Ros. Friends have told PS that Packer's comments had deeply unsettled the Packer women, both of whom have long adhered to a strict code of privacy when it comes to family matters.

He was noticeably absent from the Packer family's annual Christmas tree trimming party last year, an occasion at which he has been present previously at his mother's request. Ros Packer did visit her son in Aspen soon after, however.

Packer skipped his sister's big 50th birthday party in Sydney in 2015, while Gretel was nowhere to be seen in Argentina last year when Packer told PS he was having a "quiet" celebration in honour of his own 50-year milestone. At the time, he admitted it was a time to reflect on life, including several of the "regrets" he continued to harbour, from failed marriages to failed business ventures - his aborted foray into China fresh on his mind.

Over the past six months, Packer and his lieutenants, namely his executive chairman John Alexander, have embarked on a ruthless cost-cutting program, which has started to reap benefits for his company, which is now showing signs of a more profitable future.

Those measures have come at a great personal cost for Packer. Last year, he also parted ways with one of his oldest friends Matthew Csidei, who had been overseeing the construction of a huge new superyacht in Europe, though their relationship suffered with multimillion-dollar cost blowouts, sinking the ambitious project into the red.

His emotional inertia in recent months has also seen him forgo the rigorous 90 minutes of daily exercise he once subscribed to, while he has been unable to shake old bad habits, including junk food and cigarettes.

Now that he has reached 50, Packer has found himself at one of the most critical crossroads of his lifetime.

Support is available for those who may be distressed by phoning Lifeline 13 11 14; Mensline 1300 789 978; Kids Helpline 1800 551 800; beyondblue 1300 224 636.

(The Sydney Morning Herald)