Scheana Shay Opens Up About Her Battle with Depression: "Maybe I Up My Meds"
Scheana Shay has recently revealed her ongoing struggle with mental health, a battle she has kept largely under wraps. During a heartfelt episode of her podcast, "Scheananigans," she opened up about feeling depressed for the past six months, a period she initially tried to brush off by insisting, "No, I’m fine. It’ll go away."
Shay, who celebrated her 40th birthday just days ago, shared that her mental health challenges began around the time she was approached to participate in the popular masked singing competition, "The Masked Singer." Initially, she was hesitant to accept the offer, stating, "Hard pass, absolutely not." She emphasized that no amount of money could persuade her to appear on national television, fearing ridicule.
“This was something that was so far out of my comfort zone. It was terrifying to think about going on a show that’s primetime national television,” she admitted. Despite her fears, Shay expressed pride in overcoming this challenge, motivated by her desire to set a positive example for her four-year-old daughter, Summer Moon. She wanted to show her that it’s okay to stumble and then rise again.
However, during her podcast, Shay acknowledged that she had been internalizing her struggles instead of confronting them head-on. She reflected on her mental state, saying, “I just was like, ‘Maybe I up my meds a little bit,’ but then I started grinding my teeth a lot at night.” This led her to start taking Zoloft, a medication commonly prescribed for depression and panic disorders, and she is currently on a dosage of 75 mg, contemplating an increase to 100 mg.
In addition to the pressures of participating in another reality show, Shay mentioned that the chaotic holiday season and the unexpected wildfires in Los Angeles contributed to her mental strain. The realization that she would not be returning to "Vanderpump Rules," which has been rebooted with a new cast, also weighed heavily on her.
“Everything is great, but mentally it hasn’t been,” Shay confessed, revealing that she has previously dealt with postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder. She emphasized the importance of discussing mental health, stating, “I just wanted to open up about that because I feel like you could have everything in the world and still not always feel completely happy. I just wanted to normalize it.”
Shay's candidness about her mental health journey serves as a reminder that even those who appear to have it all can face significant challenges. By sharing her story, she hopes to encourage others to seek help and speak openly about their struggles.
