Catelynn Baltierra shared an inspirational quote on her Instagram account over the weekend referencing anxiety and isolation, promising fans that reaching out for help will be beneficial.
The pic she shared was of bracelet letter beads arranged to spell out, “DON’T LET YOUR ANXIETY CONVINCE YOU TO ISOLATE YOURSELF.” She captioned the photo, “Isolation is the worst thing to when [sic] when anxious.. “
“I know it’s HARD to not do it but we have to FORCE ourselves to go outside, call a friend, go for a walk and talk. I PROMISE reaching out will help you in so many ways ❤️ #mentalhealthmatters #yougotthis“
Catelynn is no stranger to anxiety nor isolation. She has publicly struggled with her mental health for years, as documented on her show, Teen Mom OG. She and her husband, Tyler, have remained strong advocates for mental health and are candid about their experiences.
Especially in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, Catelynn has stepped up her efforts to help those in need of access to mental health resources. She told E!, “As humans, we need interaction with people. We’re kind of hard-wired that way and being home all the time and feeling isolated is a scary thing. I can see why that could be a huge factor in people’s mental health. I think it’s a good thing that people are calling hotlines and reaching out because there are things and people out there that can help you.”
Catelynn allowed MTV to capture her treatment facility visits
Catelynn voluntarily entered a treatment facility for her own mental health struggles three times. In 2018, Catelynn told followers she was entering a treatment facility once again to deal with unresolved trauma and to find the right medications for her. Her husband, Tyler was a champ and held down the responsibilities of parent and caretaker during her absences.
Catelynn’s PTSD stems from a traumatic childhood
Catelynn has been diagnosed with PTSD. Her father, David Lowell, told Radar that a “relatively rootless childhood” was the childhood trauma to which she repeatedly referred, saying he had to move to a different state to keep the family afloat.
Catelynn’s mom, April has a troubled past riddled with substance abuse and relocating Catelynn and her family multiple times as a child. In an ironic twist, Catelynn’s mom, April ended up marrying Tyler’s father, Butch, making Catelynn and Tyler step-siblings. The couple’s parents have since divorced.
Catelynn and Tyler have also grappled with helping Tyler’s dad, Butch who has a history of substance abuse and incarceration. The storyline was often featured on the show and caused the couple a lot of undue difficulty, on top of their already stressful lives.
Catelynn and Tyler first made headlines in 2009 when they were featured on 16 and Pregnant. The then-teenagers placed their first daughter, Carly, for adoption as MTV’s cameras captured the events.
The two welcomed their second daughter, Nova in 2015, got married later that same year, and welcomed their third daughter, Vaeda in 2019. Cate and Ty recently announced they are expecting their fourth daughter later this year.
Teen Mom OG airs on Tuesdays at 8/7c on MTV.