Opening up. Tyler Baltierra took to social media on Sunday, July 29, to share an update on his mental health with fans.
The Teen Mom OG star, 26, who revealed his diagnosis of bipolar disorder in April, spoke out about his struggles in a post to Snapchat: “Bi Polar is like dancing on the edge of a cliff,” he wrote. “The good moods are full of endless euphoric adrenaline, but the bad moods cause a reclusive crash with an abusive rift when there’s just too much emotions to go through & sift, which makes you trip down a long hard fall when you slip after you lose that grip once that adrenaline filled dance inevitably makes you tip.”
Still, Baltierra refuses to be defined by his condition, adding, “I am not my diagnosis. I am in control of my perceptions and my reactions. #PoetryIsMyBrainsFreedom”
Prior to announcing his diagnosis, Baltierra cried in a video message in February while describing his state of mind to fans as his wife, Catelynn Lowell, was in treatment for her own mental health issues. “Sometimes you just don’t even really know what to say to your children. I don’t ever cry in front of [my daughter] Nova or anything. I don’t want her to feel any of that,” he said at the time. “You have good days, then you have bad days. And today is just a bad day.”
In April, he tweeted about feeling “empty and alone,” even while lying next to his wife of three years.
Earlier this month, the couple, who share 3-year-old daughter Novalee Reign, made a joint appearance on The Dr. Oz Show, where they discussed how they’ve learned to cope with their issues together. (Lowell, 26, battles depression and sought treatment at the end of 2017 for suicidal thoughts.)
“I’m automatically like, it has nothing to do with you,” Lowell said of her husband’s April tweet, adding, “Just go in there and ask, “Is there anything I can do for you? Is there anything you need?’”
The National Institute of Mental Health describes bipolar disorder with four different types, all of which exhibit “clear changes in mood, energy and activity levels. These moods range from periods of extremely ‘up,’ elated and energized behavior (known as manic episodes) to very sad, or hopeless periods (known as depressive episodes).”
Baltierra joins other celebs who have spoken out about the diagnoses, including Mariah Carey, who revealed in April that she was bipolar, and Kanye West, who was diagnosed with the medical condition at age 39.
