Rehab for drug and alcohol abuse has become the norm for young Hollywood. It’s almost to the point where it doesn’t even create waves anymore. Oh, another tartlet is in rehab for the day? Yawn.

So, when Kirsten Dunst went to the Cirque Lodge for rehab, it hardly made a blimp on anyone’s radar. But now that she is out she is talking about why she was in, which is rare. Usually when the rehab stint is done, the star leaves and just starts partying again. There may be the odd comment or reference to it, but nothing in depth. So it was a nice change when Dunst sat down with E-online’s Mark Malkin to discus her time in rehab. Another shocker is that she claims she wasn’t in for drug or alcohol abuse, but rather for depression.

“I didn’t go to Cirque Lodge for alcohol abuse or drug abuse. I went there for depression.”

“It was a good six months before I decided to go away,” Dunst says. “I was struggling, and I had the opportunity to go somewhere and take care of myself. I was fortunate to have the resources to do it. My friends and family thought it was a good idea, too. But I didn’t know where to go. My doctor recommended Cirque Lodge.”

While she is taking some hits from people who claim that she is just lying about her reasons for being in rehab, I think what she did was very brave. I mean, think about it. Drug and alcohol abuse is widely known about and talked about in Hollywood. It’s really no biggie. But depression? That’s another matter entirely. While there have been more stars coming out and acknowledge their depression, like Rosie O’Donnell and Brooke Shields, it’s still somewhat taboo.

So I don’t think Dunst is lying about why she was at Cirque Lodge. Admitting to depression instead of going with alcohol or drug abuse may have actually made things harder for the young star.