Jesus God, Leah!!

[idlerwheel]

So, if not for Corey and his super sperm (his words, not mine), Leah might have avoided being a teen mom, but that doesn't mean she would have been destined for greatness. Leah is lazy, has no work ethic, undisciplined, and to be brutally honest, dumb. When Leah was too sick (supposedly) to come to school, what was her greatest fear? Not falling behind in schoolwork, not ruining any plans for college, not being unable to work and therefore unable to save money for the future- her biggest gripe was she was missing all the social events of senior year and couldn't be a cheerleader. She's just vapid.

Oh, I definitely agree! That was sort of the point I was trying to make; I try to picture any sort of direction for Leah and I can't. The crystal ball that would hold her future is just totally empty for me, or a series of question marks, hideous changing hairstyles or her and her mother's lies. I don't think anyone is really just born completely vapid though. I think most of us are born with even just a little bit of potential, and our personalities are constantly being shaped and reshaped through what we experience. Leah became the way she is both by what she was born into and the awful choices she's made. I think anyone trying to get clean needs some sort of direction for their lives while sober in order to stay clean, which doesn't look promising for Leah. I don't think she has any of the skills or inner character to develop skills someone needs to be successful in even a very basic job, and it will be very difficult for her to change that at this point. It makes me sad for her and the people she's close to, vapid as she is. 

Edited December 2, 2015 by idlerwheel

[Tatum]

 

I don't think anyone is really just born completely vapid though. I think most of us are born with even just a little bit of potential, and our personalities are constantly being shaped and reshaped through what we experience

 

Yeah, that's an interesting thought. I do somewhat blame Dawn- I think for most of Leah's adolescence, Dawn put a lot of emphasis on looks and popularity. I think she probably was hoping that Leah would land a husband at a young age who could take care of her. I don't think she encouraged Leah to put much of a priority on schoolwork or internships or after school jobs. Hard to say whether or not Leah never developed an aptitude for school or a career because she was discouraged to do so, or if Dawn could tell she had no aptitude for it and pushed her into focusing on looks and popularity as a means of survival.

 

May be hard to believe, but on the 16 and Pregnant episode and early episodes of Teen Mom, Dawn was actually somewhat pragmatic.

[idlerwheel]

 

Hard to say whether or not Leah never developed an aptitude for school or a career because she was discouraged to do so, or if Dawn could tell she had no aptitude for it and pushed her into focusing on looks and popularity as a means of survival.

Yeah, that's exactly the thing. I don't think Leah ever really became a full person in the way most of us are people. I'm really at a loss for what guidance I would provide Leah as a rehabilitation counselor. From what I understand, an important aspect of any sort of rehabilitation is encouraging the person to focus on accomplishing what positive things they can with what positive things they currently have, however slight those things may seem to an outsider or even to ourselves. One way to interpret the serenity prayer is that most of us don't achieve "great" things in the grand scheme of the universe, but we still have some level of choice for what kind of people we want to be and can work on making choices we feel at peace with. 

 

I really don't know what's important to Leah or what substantial and positive interests and beliefs she had before her addiction started dictating her life. Based on her early TM2 episodes when she was slightly more together, I actually don't think she's totally awful with kids; I don't think she really has many skills she could teach and I doubt any parents would feel comfortable having her be the sole authority over their kids, but maybe she could be something like a bus driver, or help as an assistant to a cheerleading coach or in a Sunday school, since I think she's involved with church. Even non-paid volunteering would keep her occupied and help her focus on something other than being destructive, and would help her learn important skills she's severely lacking. Deep down all those things feel like a long shot to me though. Really anything in life requires some semblance of responsibility, initiative, and desire to succeed, and I don't think Leah is honest enough with herself to work on obtaining those traits.

[Mkay]

http://theashleysrealityroundup.com/2015/12/01/teen-mom-2-star-leah-messer-update-is-she-still-dating-t-r-dues/  Leah and TR broken up or having trouble?

 

Also, A sweet picture of the Simms Family http://theashleysrealityroundup.com/2015/11/27/teen-mom-2-stars-corey-miranda-simms-welcome-daughter-remi-home-from-hospital/

Edited December 4, 2015 by Mkay

[NikSac]

Remi is sooo tiny!  I mean all newborns look tiny to me but she is really, really little.  But yes it's a very sweet picture. Thanks Mkay for sharing it.

[toodywoody]

Miranda looks gorgeous in the picture. She's always been beautiful to me but damn motherhood is agreeing with her, she us stunning in that picture

[NikSac]

Yes Miranda looks great!

 

I just noticed something else kind of strange. Whenever the girls are with Leah, Gracie looks to me like practically her twin - in fact more than once I've mistaken them for each other in spite of the obvious age difference. In this picture to me Gracie looks completely different. I wouldn't have even known it was the same kid.

Edited December 3, 2015 by NikSac

[HeySandyStrange]

No offense to the lovely strippers of WV, but if Leah wasn't on Teen Mom, she'd probably be on a pole

Little ambitious for Leah, don't ya' think? To actually get up the energy to work the pole and have some kind of hook to keep the crowd interested...just don't see it out of her.

I've said it before but I think Leah's dream "job" would be finding a rich sucker and being a trophy wife. Or at least a well kept mistress (though I'm sure she thinks she's too good for that). But honestly, I don't think she even has it in her for that, and I'm not just talking about her average looks. She doesn't have the hustle, personality, or common sense to hook a man that could keep her in the luxury she thinks she deserves. She is seriously one of the least motivated, most clueless individuals I've ever seen. She never even tried to raise above mediocre as a SAHM, the one interest she has ever seemed to have outside of dick and pills. Sad what a terrible example she is too her girls.

[Elizabeth9]

I'm thinking Leah would see the strip club as a place full of victims for her living large scheme. And without the MTV money, she'd need a way to afford all the pillses. But you're right, like most TM girls, her ass seems to have a magnet to the sofa (their closest companion).

[Eater of Worlds]

There was another blind item about her taking methadone.  That's at least a step in the right direction.

[BitterApple]

The girlses always look clean, groomed and happy when they're with their Dad and Miranda. Ali really is a little beauty, I didn't know she had a head full of gorgeous curls until I saw a picture on Jeff's Instagram. Leah can barely bother to put them in clean clothes, let alone do anything with their hair.

[Reghan]

My first post on this show!

 

I personally believe Leah should have 50/50 custody. They are her daughters, she's not abusive, and she deserves her kids. I think Miranda and Cory are going to have a lot to deal with now that they have a new baby and it would be helpful to them if she had 50/50 custody. 

[sunsheyen]

My first post on this show!

 

I personally believe Leah should have 50/50 custody. They are her daughters, she's not abusive, and she deserves her kids. I think Miranda and Cory are going to have a lot to deal with now that they have a new baby and it would be helpful to them if she had 50/50 custody.

Unfortunately, 'not abusive' isn't the biggest recommendation in my book. That's basic. Not being abusive does not make one a good parent, and the idea of abusiveness is subject to a lot of factors, especially when one takes into account the impact of a drug addicted, inattentive parent who jumps from partner to partner.

It's not about what she deserves, it's about what the kids deserve. That's true of any custody case, not just Leah's.

Knowing the worry involved when thinking about a high (narcoleptic-ha!) Leah driving the girlies through the winding, soon to be snow covered roads, or the girlses fending for themselves (and a toddler sister) around her cigarette lighters, household chemicals etc...them being with Leah doesn't seem like much help. I'd rather know they were safe and sound in my own backseat as I drove Remi to appointments, even if I needed an extra half hour or so to wrangle them all.

[jacksgirl]

Agreeing with sunsheyen. Yes, Leah is the girlses mom, and Corey is their dad. The days of kids needing to be with their moms because they are "better nurturers" is gone. Leah has made many mistakes, but I truly believe that if she gets her act together, Corey and Miranda will agree to modify custody. Corey and Miranda know Ali and Aleeeeah need Leah in their lives. Her future with her girls is totally up to her.

Edited December 6, 2015 by jacksgirl

[Tatum]

My first post on this show!

I personally believe Leah should have 50/50 custody. They are her daughters, she's not abusive, and she deserves her kids. I think Miranda and Cory are going to have a lot to deal with now that they have a new baby and it would be helpful to them if she had 50/50 custody.

I disagree. Given Leah's propensity of driving around while high, and the girls' inability to wake her up in the mornings, whenever the girls are in Leah's care Corey has to be constantly stressed about their safety. Also agree with other posters that Leah's right to be with her kids does not trump her kids' right to be in a safe environment.

[lovesnark]

My first post on this show!

 

I personally believe Leah should have 50/50 custody. They are her daughters, she's not abusive, and she deserves her kids. I think Miranda and Cory are going to have a lot to deal with now that they have a new baby and it would be helpful to them if she had 50/50 custody. 

The kids deserve a stable, healthy home. Leah isn't able to provide that. And, while she doesn't physically abuse them, she's been shown on film being neglectful and putting her own wants before the needs of her children over and over and over again.  It wouldn't be helpful to Corey and Miranda if they had to worry constantly about the twins being safe, getting to school and medical appointments or being driven around by their high as a kite mother when they should be home in bed.

 

Leah had a lot to deal with with a new baby and the twins when she had Addie. Should she have given Corey 50/50 custody of the twins to make it easier on herself? New babies come into families every day. Responsible parents handle the changes that come along with the new baby just fine.

 

If Leah truly wants more time with the twins, she'll stop lying and blaming everyone else for the mess she's made of her life and start acting like a responsible adult.

[evilmindatwork]

I disagree. Given Leah's propensity of driving around while high, and the girls' inability to wake her up in the mornings, whenever the girls are in Leah's care Corey has to be constantly stressed about their safety. Also agree with other posters that Leah's right to be with her kids does not trump her kids' right to be in a safe environment.

Agreed. Leah, at this point, can't do the bare minimum of parenting for her children, much less be a "good" parent. She's not even below average (selfish but okay, providing minimal supervision), she's downright dangerous to their welfare. We saw her nod out on the show, which is usually edited heavily in her favor. This is not a case of Leah being an average parent and Corey being the better one-- Leah is negligent and the children may end up badly injured or worse in her care. 

Edited December 6, 2015 by evilmindatwork

[lovesnark]

Agreed. Leah at this point can't do the bare minimum of parenting for her kids, much less be a "good" parent. She's not even below average (selfish but ok), she's dangerous to her children's welfare. We saw her nod out on the show which is usually edited heavily in her favor. This is not a case of Leah being an okay parent and Corey being the better one-- Leah is negligent and the children may end up badly injured or worse in her care. 

I sure hope Germy is as concerned for Addie's welfare as Corey and Miranda are about the twins. Dangerous isn't the word any father wants to think of when he thinks of his child's mother but it fits Leah to a T. If Germy doesn't have to cough up that bigass child support check for Addie every month, hopefully he can find a job closer to home and his family can help him with her. 

[Maharincess]

First off, welcome Reghan!!

There are many different kinds of abuse, neglect being one of them so I do think Leah is abusive. Fighting with her husband to the point that the girls were so scared they locked themselves in the laundry room is abusive. Saying horrible things about the twins father and step mother is abusive. Physical abuse is only one of many kinds of abuse.

I also think it's very unsafe how she jumps from guy to guy so quickly and how the girls are introduced to these men right off the bat.

I know Leah loves her girls but she has a lot of work to do before she can provide them with the safe, stable life they deserve.

Edited December 6, 2015 by Maharincess

[BitterApple]

I think if Leah gets her shit together and keeps her shit together, then yes, the custody should go back to 50/50. However, no matter how much Leah loves her girlses, driving around while high and being late to school half the month is no bueno.

[SPLAIN]

My first post on this show!

 

I personally believe Leah should have 50/50 custody. They are her daughters, she's not abusive, and she deserves her kids.50/50 custody. 

Working in the mental health field, I think society's general attitude about what constitutes child abuse, is not at all accurate. Child abuse is not solely about hitting, slapping, smacking, throwing a child around, burning, assaulting, or beating them on a continuous basis. Child abuse falls under many categories. It is not just about a mother or father is who is so physically abusive that bruises and broken bones are the norm for the child.  There is mental, emotional, and verbal abuse. There is also being neglectful. There is a difference between dysfunction and having little regard for the overall safety and welfare of one's child.

 

I think you are also missing a point here that was made in court. Cory took Leah to court because he felt her drug abuse issue was hindering her ability to parent. She passed her drug test that was court-ordered, however, the court also looked into the allegations that Leah was not getting her kids to school on time, they had absences that far exceeded the norm, and many unexcused absences. There was proof as well that she failed to take her daughter to her weekly medical appointments. With those allegations put forth to the judge, it was then ordered by the judge that Leah had SIX MONTHS to prove to the court that she can get her kids to school on time and she could make sure her child was no longer missing her medical appointments. If she failed within that six month period, the judge was going to give Cory primary custody.

It goes without saying what ended up happening. The six month re-evaluation came up and again, Leah had basically not followed the order of the court. It is pretty damn obvious that when a judge orders you to do something, you better damn well do it or else you face the consequences. That is what happened in Leah's case. It is not about her not being physically abusive to the girls, but her failure to follow the court order.

 

 

I think Miranda and Cory are going to have a lot to deal with now that they have a new baby and it would be helpful to them if she had

Why is it people think that Cory and Miranda have no clue about raising children? Hasn't Miranda been a step-mother to the girls for four days out of the week prior to this court order change? Cory has been a father for five years now. Miranda stepped up to the plate when Leah couldn't or wouldn't.

 

When Leah was crying all the time about being overwhelmed and Cory offered to take the girls off her hands for a day or two more so she could get herself together, why didn't she give in to his offer?

 

Leah has Addie and her new boyfriend's two children under her care. Do you honestly think Leah is capable of caring for five children when she couldn't even get her own two kids to school on time or take Ali to her medical appointments and all she did was constantly complain how overwhelmed and stressed she was all the damn time. Even when the girls weren't with her, she complained non-stop.

 

I swear, I sometimes think some people don't watch this show and don't read the articles of what is going on in Leah's world.

Edited December 6, 2015 by SPLAIN

[Maharincess]

And I don't see Corey denying her 50/50 when she's ready. Leah seems to think that everything Corey and Miranda do they're doing just to hurt her, she can't see that they're doing this to help the girls, not to hurt her. They're putting the kids first, maybe if she had put the kids first, she would understand that that's what they're doing.

If she gets her shit together I don't think Corey would have a problem with sharing custody but I don't see it happening any time soon. The first step in getting her shit together is admitting she's an addict and to stop blaming everything and everybody else and I don't see her ever doing that.

Somebody mentioned a rumor that Leah is on methadone. I really, really hope that isn't true. Methadone is more addictive than anything else she could have been taking. The withdrawals are horrendous and much worse than typical opiate withdrawals, and some of the withdrawal symptoms can last years.

Leah isn't a favorite of mine but I'd hate to see her caught in that cycle.

I've never understood why a Dr would prescribe one addictive drug to get over another.

I'm on 2 strong pain killers and will be for the foreseeable future. Because I was so scared of addiction I got a drug sponsor to help me stay on the straight and narrow with my medicine. She's told me horror stories of methadone withdrawal. She said that they're trying to stop it as a treatment for prescription opiate addiction.

Edited December 6, 2015 by Maharincess

[SPLAIN]

 

The first step in getting her shit together is admitting she's an addict and to stop blaming everything and everybody else and I don't see her ever doing that.

Agree. 

 

Being an addict is also a form of child abuse. Never, ever have I ever come across a child from a household where there was an addict or alcoholic parent, come out unscathed or undamaged somehow. How anyone can think Leah deserves custody, baffles me. If Cory or Miranda were the drug addict? Oh my lord, people would demand that their heads be chopped off.

[jacksgirl]

Hi Reghan, and welcome to this forum. We've all been through a lot with Leah, Corey, Germy, the girlses, Miranda and the whole Messer clan, funny how we know so much about these people. In my opinion, Leah's biggest problem is the Messer's who cannot be honest with her or themselves about her issues. I have so much sympathy for Leah. Not highly educated, three children under 6, one with a life changing medical condition, and two ex-husbands. I am certain there are days when she looks at herself in the mirror and can't believe that this is her life (assuming she has the self-awareness to be that introspective). My wish for Leah is that she get clean, go without a man in her life for a year, go to college or tech school, find something she wants to do and start being an adult. Her life has spiraled out of control, but she is still so young, she can be happy and make a good life for herself and all three girlses.

Edited December 6, 2015 by jacksgirl

[ChocolateAddict]

Here is how I look at it-  if Corey was unable to get the kids to school on time, unable to get Ali to the doctor's, unable to wake up in the morning and unable to provide a clean, safe home for the girls, would he have 50-50 custody?  Hell no! So neither should Leah.  Mother or no, she isn't able to provide a stable environment for her children and so she doesn't have custody.  It really is that simple. 

[NikSac]

And I don't see Corey denying her 50/50 when she's ready. Leah seems to think that everything Corey and Miranda do they're doing just to hurt her, she can't see that they're doing this to help the girls, not to hurt her. They're putting the kids first, maybe if she had put the kids first, she would understand that that's what they're doing.

If she gets her shit together I don't think Corey would have a problem with sharing custody but I don't see it happening any time soon. The first step in getting her shit together is admitting she's an addict and to stop blaming everything and everybody else and I don't see her ever doing that.

Somebody mentioned a rumor that Leah is on methadone. I really, really hope that isn't true. Methadone is more addictive than anything else she could have been taking. The withdrawals are horrendous and much worse than typical opiate withdrawals, and some of the withdrawal symptoms can last years.

Leah isn't a favorite of mine but I'd hate to see her caught in that cycle.

I've never understood why a Dr would prescribe one addictive drug to get over another.

I'm on 2 strong pain killers and will be for the foreseeable future. Because I was so scared of addiction I got a drug sponsor to help me stay on the straight and narrow with my medicine. She's told me horror stories of methadone withdrawal. She said that they're trying to stop it as a treatment for prescription opiate addiction.

 

I was thinking the same thing. I can understand prescribing it for a week or something with a quick taper to get through the worst of withdrawals, but making it a practically permanent thing makes no sense to me. I've known people on methadone and they had a horrible time quitting that stuff. I hope that's not true about Leah because to me it seems like that's going from bad to worse.  Plus, she could still be doing pills on top of the methadone. I hope it's true that there's movement on stopping it as a treatment.

 

Re: abuse I think there's also financial abuse going on, if it's true that she stole the girlses' trust funds for her own purposes. Not that the kids would understand that at this age, but they will some day. They've got to be old enough now to know something is really off - can't wake mommy up, having to make their own breakfast (not bad in and of itself but they are too young!), late for school when mommy has them, having to hide from fights, etc. And if it ever impacts Ali's medical care because the money vanished, grrr that would be awful.

[Maharincess]

From what the sponsor told me, it can be helpful using it for extreme heroin addiction to where it's their last chance. She also said exactly what you said, using it for prescription opiate addiction is going from bad to worse.

[sunsheyen]

From what the sponsor told me, it can be helpful using it for extreme heroin addiction to where it's their last chance. She also said exactly what you said, using it for prescription opiate addiction is going from bad to worse.

As an opiate addict, I cannot imagine going from perc, Vic, Lortab addiction to methadone. That's like a boost! The opiate pill crisis in WV is at crazy levels. Re prescribing Methadone: Either those docs are desperate for any hope of helping people or they don't care and are pushing for cash any way they can get it. As much as I'd like to hope for better, I don't see Leah getting clean for life. I just hope Jeremy and his people decide to give enough fucks about Addie to try and save her. The twins are very lucky to have had Corey as their dad (I'm not deifying him, either). I don't hate Leah, and I also believe that remaining a slave to addictions is ultimately a choice. I just don't think the people around her hold her to any standard of accountability, nor does she want to look in the mirror.

Edited December 6, 2015 by sunsheyen

[poopchute]

My first post on this show!

I personally believe Leah should have 50/50 custody. They are her daughters, she's not abusive, and she deserves her kids. I think Miranda and Cory are going to have a lot to deal with now that they have a new baby and it would be helpful to them if she had 50/50 custody.

Why does she deserve them?

[HeySandyStrange]

Hi Reghan, and welcome to this forum. We've all been through a lot with Leah, Corey, Germy, the girlses, Miranda and the whole Messer clan, funny how we know so much about these people. In my opinion, Leah's biggest problem is the Messer's who cannot be honest with her or themselves about her issues. I have so much sympathy for Leah. Not highly educated, three children under 6, one with a life changing medical condition, and two ex-husbands. I am certain there are days when she looks at herself in the mirror and can't believe that this is her life (assuming she has the self-awareness to be that introspective). My wish for Leah is that she get clean, go without a man in her life for a year, go to college or tech school, find something she wants to do and start being an adult. Her life has spiraled out of control, but she is still so young, she can be happy and make a good life for herself and all three girlses.

If ever someone needed tough love, it would be Leah. If she would just find a support group or therapist that would do that for her, she would have a much better chance of becoming a competent mother and human being. Unfortunately her family and community are so insular and she is such a dependent personality it is hard to see her breaking away. I would love to see Leah go to school and get a career, be it as a hairstylist, nail tech, or what have you, but she'll have to get off her ass and stop waiting to be taken care of.

[BitterApple]

I agree with the above comments and to take it a step further, I also think Leah needs to ditch this relationship and learn how to be alone for more than five seconds. I cannot imagine any licensed professional telling Leah it's a good idea to take on a new man and two strange children when she doesn't even have her own house in order. It's selfish and unfair to the girlses on top of everything else those poor kids have had to deal with in the last year.

[ghoulina]

I agree with the comments that Leah's constant neglect and endangerment of her girls is abusive. From the things we have seen, I genuinely fear for them. And I don't think Corey and Miranda having another baby should factor in at all. Families with older kids have babies all the time and manage. The girls are in school during the day. And Corey and Miranda both seem to be very capable people, not to mention they have plenty of help. (Something Leah has always utilized, yet never stopped complaining about how tough she had it.)

[Mkay]

Let's not forget that Addy left the house and the police brought her home.  

[Tatum]

I have so much sympathy for Leah. Not highly educated, three children under 6, one with a life changing medical condition, and two ex-husbands. I am certain there are days when she looks at herself in the mirror and can't believe that this is her life (assuming she has the self-awareness to be that introspective).

 

I have a lot of sympathy for Leah as well. I mean, I realize almost everything about her sucky life is entirely due to poor choices she made, and on top of that, she is (to me) a rather unlikable person (selfish, lazy, ungrateful), but I still do feel for her. I think she suffers from depression, and the Messer clan has really, in way or another, done a number on her. Add to that that she is now failing at the ONLY productive thing she's ever been remotely useful at (raising her kids), and I can see why she'd rather spend the whole day on a Vicodin high.

 

When my son was born in August, I had a euphoric high for two days. Then, after getting home from the hospital, it all came crashing down. For close to two weeks, I would at least once a day, sometimes more, lock myself in the bathroom and bawl, while my mother, husband, and daughter were on the other side bewildered. I remember on my birthday, when my son was 9 days old, trudging through Jo Ann Fabrics with his carrier, trying to remember how just 10 days earlier I had been pregnant and on top of the world, and now all I felt was bleakness. All the pep talks and mental kicks in the ass I was giving myself weren't helping- it was just a dark period. The only thing that helped a little was when I would d0uble up on my Percocet and get a minor buzz going. All the literature that I read said this was likely baby blues, not post partum depression, and it would get better in 2 weeks. That was the other thing that got me through that period- I'd tell myself, in 8 days I will feel better, in 7 days I will feel better...and you know what, I did. I can't imagine feeling like that with no end in sight.

 

To add to that, I am sure the Messers aren't very informed on mental illness or mood disorders, and I would bet my 401K Jeremy is the type to tell his depressed wife to cheer up and shake it off. I used to be the same way- thought people suffering from depression were just spoiled and should spend some time in a third world country and meet people with real problems. Looking back, I can't believe how cold that sounds, but if you haven't been through it or at least studied it, you really can't understand just how brain chemistry and logical thoughts just don't always go together.

 

All this is to say that while Leah can only blame Leah for where she is right now, that is not a place I would ever want to be. And her family is enabling her to the point where she's just not going to get better.

[alexa]

I went and looked at poppa jeff's pics of the kids on instagram, and wow.... those girls really do look so much better and cleaned up when with Corey's family.  It is amazing.  They look like happy, normal little girls.  So different from them running around at Leah's.  

[lezlers]

I have a lot of sympathy for Leah as well. I mean, I realize almost everything about her sucky life is entirely due to poor choices she made, and on top of that, she is (to me) a rather unlikable person (selfish, lazy, ungrateful), but I still do feel for her. I think she suffers from depression, and the Messer clan has really, in way or another, done a number on her. Add to that that she is now failing at the ONLY productive thing she's ever been remotely useful at (raising her kids), and I can see why she'd rather spend the whole day on a Vicodin high.

 

When my son was born in August, I had a euphoric high for two days. Then, after getting home from the hospital, it all came crashing down. For close to two weeks, I would at least once a day, sometimes more, lock myself in the bathroom and bawl, while my mother, husband, and daughter were on the other side bewildered. I remember on my birthday, when my son was 9 days old, trudging through Jo Ann Fabrics with his carrier, trying to remember how just 10 days earlier I had been pregnant and on top of the world, and now all I felt was bleakness. All the pep talks and mental kicks in the ass I was giving myself weren't helping- it was just a dark period. The only thing that helped a little was when I would d0uble up on my Percocet and get a minor buzz going. All the literature that I read said this was likely baby blues, not post partum depression, and it would get better in 2 weeks. That was the other thing that got me through that period- I'd tell myself, in 8 days I will feel better, in 7 days I will feel better...and you know what, I did. I can't imagine feeling like that with no end in sight.

 

To add to that, I am sure the Messers aren't very informed on mental illness or mood disorders, and I would bet my 401K Jeremy is the type to tell his depressed wife to cheer up and shake it off. I used to be the same way- thought people suffering from depression were just spoiled and should spend some time in a third world country and meet people with real problems. Looking back, I can't believe how cold that sounds, but if you haven't been through it or at least studied it, you really can't understand just how brain chemistry and logical thoughts just don't always go together.

 

All this is to say that while Leah can only blame Leah for where she is right now, that is not a place I would ever want to be. And her family is enabling her to the point where she's just not going to get better.

 

I had that with both of my kids.  It's the hormone crash.   I just cried non-stop for a few days.  Fortunately, like you, I knew what it was and that it would pass.  I also depended a bit too heavily on the Norco I was prescribed after my C-sections.  There was a mistake on my script and I was given 100 tablets.  I took every last one.  It's a miracle I'm not an addict like Leah.

 

I don't blame Leah for becoming an addict given what she's had to deal with these past 6 years.  I'd respect her a hell of a lot more, however, if she'd own up to it instead of blaming everyone and everything else for all of her problems.   You're absolutely right that her family is really her worst enemy when it comes to her getting her life back.

[MyPeopleAreNordic]

Tatum and Lezlers, let me just add I also had a similar euphoria and then crash after I had my son last year. And yes, those pain pills did make it all better. I was dreading the day my Rx ran out, but thankfully made it through. I can understand how Leah might have gotten addicted to them, especially given all that she has going on as far as Ali's diagnosis, etc,

But as Lezlers said, it's time to really work in getting clean, which starts with admitting you have a problem.

[Maharincess]

I must be an asshole because I don't feel any sympathy for Leah. She's where she is because of herself. I feel sympathy for people who are going through hell that isn't of their own making.

[poopchute]

I don't feel bad for her either. If you're 16 years old and can't raise a baby because you are 16 and uneducated, then don't have a baby. If you decide to have the baby and it turns out to be twins, one with special needs, and you're really overwhelmed with this, don't immediately marry another man and have another baby with him. Problem solved.

[Tatum]

I must be an asshole because I don't feel any sympathy for Leah. She's where she is because of herself. I feel sympathy for people who are going through hell that isn't of their own making.

 

 

I don't feel bad for her either. If you're 16 years old and can't raise a baby because you are 16 and uneducated, then don't have a baby. If you decide to have the baby and it turns out to be twins, one with special needs, and you're really overwhelmed with this, don't immediately marry another man and have another baby with him. Problem solved.

 

The hell she's going through that I feel sympathy for isn't that she's twice divorced with three kids, no education, no job prospects, and an expensive drug habit. Quite frankly, Leah is a selfish asshole that consistently makes the same mistake over and over.

 

That said, where I do feel sympathy for her is that I think she is clinically depressed. You can't control that. Therapy and anti depressants can help, but it sometimes takes awhile to find the appropriate combination, and I don't think Leah has that kind of patience. I am sure the narcotics were used to self medicate depression as much as they were used for physical pain.

 

Along the same lines, Leah uses relationships as a means to self medicate as well. When she's distracted by a new relationship, she doesn't feel as depressed. Same for having babies and moving into new houses. She's trying to distract herself and then is just digging herself in deeper and taking more people with her. She's an asshole, no argument from me. But depression is something I wouldn't wish on anyone.  My own experience was probably the worst 2 weeks of my life, and even when I was going through it I knew it was temporary (most likely) and I had a supportive family, a job to return to, an education, etc. Where Leah is right now? Running through thousands of dollars a month (or maybe a week now), twice divorced, three kids and multiple kids from her boyfriend, no job prospects, average looking, no marketable skills? This is probably as good as it will ever be for her, and she likely knows it.  Her life choices are her own fault, but depression can happen to anyone.

[toodywoody]

While having depression is a shitty thing, Leah does herself no favors with her other behavior. Her behavior of constantly bitching to first Corey and Jeremy about their jobs, blaming her many made up ailments on other things (anxiety, stress, Addie's birth and most recently narcolepsy) and then her teenage antics of dissing Corey and Miranda on social media. Sorry she gets no sympathy from me for those things. She needs to quit going to her rest/relaxation seminars to find new dick and get off her pills that put her girls in danger and quit acting like she is 12 by dissing the girls' father and step mother. No sympathy there

And this just came into my head. How the hell does a 2 year old get out of a house when there is another adult and his kids there? Did no one notice at all that Addie was gone long enough for the cops to be called or be riding around and bring her home. I know kids get out and can be little Houidinis but come on, she had to be out for awhile and then for Leah to say it was only a second. No a second is when you turn your head to put the lotion in the basket.

Edited December 8, 2015 by toodywoody

[HeySandyStrange]

 

I must be an asshole because I don't feel any sympathy for Leah. She's where she is because of herself. I feel sympathy for people who are going through hell that isn't of their own making.

 

That said, where I do feel sympathy for her is that I think she is clinically depressed. You can't control that. Therapy and anti depressants can help, but it sometimes takes awhile to find the appropriate combination, and I don't think Leah has that kind of patience.

 

I guess I fall between these two view points. On one hand, I do think Leah suffers from some type of mental illness and definitely very low self-esteem.  Without any evidence of it, I've also always felt that there was some possible past trauma in her life as well. It would go a long way in explaining her behavior. She is kind of screwed from the start in the environment she grew up in, because her family seems very ignorant of anything beyond keeping up hillbilly appearances. She wasn't blessed with any kind of special intelligence or insight either, so likely she is going to be stuck in this mindset unless forces herself to break away.

 

On the other hand, Leah is selfish, self-absorbed, spoiled, whiney, ungrateful, close-minded, and full of herself. Yes, she has a full plate with three kids that she chose to have, but she has had soooo many people helping her over the years. Yes, Ali's condition is terrible and I understand how hard it is on the Messer/Simms families but Leah sometimes acts like Ali's condition is all about her. No, dope, it is about the awesome little girl who has to deal with it, not about how hard it is on poor Leah. Yes, your husbands had to work and leave you with the kids all day, but you wanted to be a SAHM and wanted your exes to bring home the bacon so you could (poorly) play wifey. She also has been getting more money then most of us for doing nothing more then getting knocked up at sixteen. She has been handed so many opportunities and been given so much sympathy and she hasn't appreciated a bit of it. Frankly, she is just not a very likable person.

 

I would respect Leah a hell of a lot more it she had an ounce of self-awareness and actually took an honest look at herself and her failings. But that seems to be the biggest problem with all these girls, an almost total lack of self-awareness. Sadly, ditzy Chelsea is the only one who seems to have grown up some over the years.

Edited December 8, 2015 by HeySandyStrange

[ghoulina]

I fall in the middle with Leah too. Yes, most of her problems are her own doing. But we all make mistakes in life. I worked as a pharmacy tech for many years before having kids, I've seen first hand how easy it is to become addicted to pills, and how it can happen to people you'd never expect. I also think it's quite likely that Leah is predisposed to some sort of mental illness, depression, what have you. 

 

But my sympathy stops there. Because she simply will never take responsibility for any of it. She wants to blame a c-section, migraines, narcolepsy. She won't come right out and say she has a problem with drugs. She has all the help in the world, more than I've ever had, but she refuses to get herself together. She continually puts herself first. 

 

I also think, drugs and depression aside, she has proven herself to just be a shitty person. She has been selfish and lazy from day one. I have seen the least growth out of her. Maybe if I saw any self awareness, any genuine attempts to change her life, I'd have more respect for her. But she ain't budging an inch. 

[Tatum]

I fall in the middle with Leah too. Yes, most of her problems are her own doing. But we all make mistakes in life. I worked as a pharmacy tech for many years before having kids, I've seen first hand how easy it is to become addicted to pills, and how it can happen to people you'd never expect. I also think it's quite likely that Leah is predisposed to some sort of mental illness, depression, what have you. 

 

But my sympathy stops there. Because she simply will never take responsibility for any of it. She wants to blame a c-section, migraines, narcolepsy. She won't come right out and say she has a problem with drugs. She has all the help in the world, more than I've ever had, but she refuses to get herself together. She continually puts herself first. 

 

I also think, drugs and depression aside, she has proven herself to just be a shitty person. She has been selfish and lazy from day one. I have seen the least growth out of her. Maybe if I saw any self awareness, any genuine attempts to change her life, I'd have more respect for her. But she ain't budging an inch. 

 

But feeling sorry for someone with a mental illness and realizing she's a shitty person who is responsible for a lot of her own troubles are not mutually exclusive. I mean, if someone you knew developed an extremely aggressive lung cancer, and that person had smoked for 40 years and was a total asshole to boot, when you saw that person suffering, you wouldn't think, oh well, he's a jerk and he smoked for 40 years, what did he think was going to happen? He did it to himself. I mean, it would be true, but you would probably still feel sympathy for him as you watched him wheeze and cough up blood or have extreme pain. I feel the same about Leah.

 

ETA: with regards to clinical depression, as far as I know, Leah hasn't been officially diagnosed with this. This is my assumption/speculation only. But clinical depression isn't necessarily tied to what's going on in your life- things can be going fine, and then there's a malfunction in brain chemistry. I don't think Leah is depressed because she's made such shitty decisions- I think she makes shitty decisions because she's depressed. Anti depressants aren't happy pills and the effectiveness of therapy really depends on the provider- managing depression is an ongoing battle and Leah is not willing to put in the time or the work. She'd rather pop a vicodin and get a cheap thrill from attention/validation from some guy.

Edited December 8, 2015 by Tatum

[grumpypanda]

I don't know if the methadone rumor is true or not but for her sake I hope it's not. I stupidly got on methadone to get off opiods and withdrawing from it was pure hell. I can't even put into words how horrendous it is but I wouldn't wish that agony on anyone.

Obviously I can't judge Leah for her drug use but I do fault her for lying about it. I know it sounds cliche but until she admits she has a problem she will never recover.

Given Leah's personality I doubt she'll ever be really clean. If it's not pills it will be something else. I think I've said it on here before but I predict that in twenty years from now Leah will be up to the same type of shit. I'm betting that she'll never get the girls back and she'll eventually lose Addi. She probably pop out another two or three kids to replace the ones that were stolen from her and continue hopping from man to man.

Leah will be the forty year old women at the bar that look sixty but still thinks she's the hottest girl in town. She's the pathetic lady that's always trying to get someone to buy her a beer and will go home with any loser that shows her attention. Her kids will hate her and most of them will probably end up just like her.

I hope I'm wrong. She's young so she has time to turn things around but I doubt she will.

[ghoulina]

But feeling sorry for someone with a mental illness and realizing she's a shitty person who is responsible for a lot of her own troubles are not mutually exclusive. I mean, if someone you knew developed an extremely aggressive lung cancer, and that person had smoked for 40 years and was a total asshole to boot, when you saw that person suffering, you wouldn't think, oh well, he's a jerk and he smoked for 40 years, what did he think was going to happen? He did it to himself. I mean, it would be true, but you would probably still feel sympathy for him as you watched him wheeze and cough up blood or have extreme pain. I feel the same about Leah.

 

I get what you're saying, and I don't entirely disagree. Which is I why I said I fall in the middle with her. The difference is, though, once a person has cancer, there's often little they can do about it. Leah could still do plenty to change her dependency and mental issues, if she would take some responsibility for her actions and get help. I feel like she wants to remain the perpetual victim and it's maddening. 

[Tatum]

I get what you're saying, and I don't entirely disagree. Which is I why I said I fall in the middle with her. The difference is, though, once a person has cancer, there's often little they can do about it. Leah could still do plenty to change her dependency and mental issues, if she would take some responsibility for her actions and get help. I feel like she wants to remain the perpetual victim and it's maddening. 

 

Yeah, I get that. If Leah is clinically depressed, that is not her fault, and may be the root of some of her issues, but I agree the onus is still on her as an adult and as someone responsible for small children to figure out a way to productively manage her condition, which she isn't going to do. I don't see her ever getting better. I think her way of managing her stress and depression is going to in turn cause more stress and depression (ie more pregnancies, more irresponsible spending, etc) and on top of hurting herself, she's going to bring a whole lot of people down with her.

 

I think after this whole Monkey/Leah will be suicidal/Leah's blood pressure will skyrocket and kill her bullshit, production should have cut her from the show. If she's not getting paid, perhaps her family will stop seeing as the cash cow and be straight with her.

[Lemons]

I don't know if the methadone rumor is true or not but for her sake I hope it's not. I stupidly got on methadone to get off opiods and withdrawing from it was pure hell. I can't even put into words how horrendous it is but I wouldn't wish that agony on anyone.

 

I know someone who was prescribed methadone for back pain.  I had thought the only thing methadone was used for was heroin addiction.  If Leah was using heroin, and it's not that big of a stretch because it's more common than people think, maybe she's using methadone to stay off heroin. 

 

I also thought people used methadone once daily to stay off heroin.

[Maharincess]

I do feel some sympathy for Leah for the mental illness that's beyond her control.

But feeling sorry for her because she's twice divorced with 3 kids before her 25th birthday? Hell no, I don't feel a bit sorry for her over that. That's all on her.

[DangerousMinds]

Working in the mental health field, I think society's general attitude about what constitutes child abuse, is not at all accurate. Child abuse is not solely about hitting, slapping, smacking, throwing a child around, burning, assaulting, or beating them on a continuous basis. Child abuse falls under many categories. It is not just about a mother or father is who is so physically abusive that bruises and broken bones are the norm for the child.  There is mental, emotional, and verbal abuse. There is also being neglectful. There is a difference between dysfunction and having little regard for the overall safety and welfare of one's child.

 

I think you are also missing a point here that was made in court. Cory took Leah to court because he felt her drug abuse issue was hindering her ability to parent. She passed her drug test that was court-ordered, however, the court also looked into the allegations that Leah was not getting her kids to school on time, they had absences that far exceeded the norm, and many unexcused absences. There was proof as well that she failed to take her daughter to her weekly medical appointments. With those allegations put forth to the judge, it was then ordered by the judge that Leah had SIX MONTHS to prove to the court that she can get her kids to school on time and she could make sure her child was no longer missing her medical appointments. If she failed within that six month period, the judge was going to give Cory primary custody.

It goes without saying what ended up happening. The six month re-evaluation came up and again, Leah had basically not followed the order of the court. It is pretty damn obvious that when a judge orders you to do something, you better damn well do it or else you face the consequences. That is what happened in Leah's case. It is not about her not being physically abusive to the girls, but her failure to follow the court order.

 

Why is it people think that Cory and Miranda have no clue about raising children? Hasn't Miranda been a step-mother to the girls for four days out of the week prior to this court order change? Cory has been a father for five years now. Miranda stepped up to the plate when Leah couldn't or wouldn't.

 

When Leah was crying all the time about being overwhelmed and Cory offered to take the girls off her hands for a day or two more so she could get herself together, why didn't she give in to his offer?

 

Leah has Addie and her new boyfriend's two children under her care. Do you honestly think Leah is capable of caring for five children when she couldn't even get her own two kids to school on time or take Ali to her medical appointments and all she did was constantly complain how overwhelmed and stressed she was all the damn time. Even when the girls weren't with her, she complained non-stop.

 

I swear, I sometimes think some people don't watch this show and don't read the articles of what is going on in Leah's world.

I don't recall seeing much of this story on the show, and I don't follow these girls online. I assume I am not the only one.