Jax Taylor is sharing new insight into his mental health journey.
The Valley star, 45, shared on Instagram on Monday, Sept. 2 that he had recently been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and PTSD after years of struggling with his mental health. He also acknowledged that navigating his diagnoses has been an “emotional” process for him.
“A little over a month ago, I checked into an intensive inpatient treatment facility scared of the unknown and what I would find out about myself,” Taylor wrote in the post’s caption, alongside a black-and-white photo of himself reading. “After many years of knowing something was wrong but not knowing exactly what it was, I recently learned that I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and PTSD.”
“It’s been a lot to process and an emotional time for me, however I’ve come home to my son with a new found sense of peace,” he continued. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared for the future but my focus is just trying to be a better version of myself than I was yesterday. Mental health is a lifelong battle of not letting it control you but rather you learning to control it.”
Concluding the post, Taylor added: “Thank you everyone who has reached out in support and who also shared their own personal struggles with me. Your messages have helped me more than you know.”
As previously reported on Tuesday, Aug. 20 that the Vanderpump Rules alum had completed 30 days in an in-patient treatment facility to focus on his mental health. TMZ was the first to report the news.
“Jax has always been candid about his mental health struggles, especially during the past few months on his podcast,” a representative for Taylor told PEOPLE on July 30, adding, “He has made the decision to seek in-patient treatment. This is a particularly sensitive time for him and his family. They ask for privacy and respect until he is ready to speak more on this matter.”
Before entering the mental health facility, the reality star posted a picture to his Instagram Stories of two books — Get Out of Your Mind & Into Your Life and Set Boundaries, Find Peace — with a caption that read “Healing,” according to TMZ.
Brittany Cartwright and Jax Taylor on ‘Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen’.
Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty
Taylor’s announcement on social media follows news that his wife of four years, Brittany Cartwright, had filed for divorce on Tuesday, Aug. 27 nearly six months after “taking time apart,” according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE. The documents listed the pair’s date of separation as Jan. 24, citing “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for their split.
Cartwright also requested legal and physical custody of their 3-year-old son Cruz Michael Cauchi but requested that the court grant Taylor visitation rights. The Kentucky native also asked the court to terminate spousal support for both parties.
Taylor and Cartwright’s relationship was documented on Vanderpump Rules as well as on its spinoffs Jax & Brittany Take Kentucky and The Valley. The pair, who first met in Las Vegas in 2015, got married in June 2019 and welcomed Cruz Michael Cauchi on April 12, 2021.
In August 2023, they expressed hopes to expand their family of three. “At least one more,” Taylor said then. “We’re just really busy right now. It’s been a very busy summer. We’re very blessed.”
Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright in Las Vegas in November 2023.
Todd Williamson/Bravo via Getty Images
Season 1 of The Valley, however, depicted the couple undergoing a major rough patch, ending with Cartwright expressing frustration that she and Taylor hadn’t started trying for a second baby.
“What was I thinking staying with him this long?” Cartwright wondered in one episode.
At the February premiere of The Valley, Taylor said the couple thought their separation was “best for [their] family” because they had “been going through some things for a while now.”
A source recently said that Taylor would return to shoot season 2 of The Valley, which also stars fellowVPR alum Kristen Doute and newcomers Luke Broderick, Jesse Lally, Danny Booko, Nia Booko, Michelle Lally, Jason Caperna and Janet Caperna.
“Jax will be returning to filming The Valley for season 2 after completing his stint at a mental health facility,” the source continued. “It’s been a tough time for him. He had been in treatment for the last 30 days. Brittany was supportive of Jax’s decision to seek help for their son’s sake. However, going forward, she’s not interested in having anything to do with him.”
Season 1 of The Valley is available to stream on Peacock.
