Jesus God, Leah!!

[Scarlett45]

2 hours ago, Christina87 said:

Leah and her boyfriend have reportedly split! I do feel bad for her, because she looked so happy, but I had a bad feeling about him from the start. He seemed like the Peter Pan type to me, an older man who waited really long to have a kid (nothing wrong with that by itself though) and then divorced the mom quickly, only to "settle down" with a single mom in her twenties wit a trashy TV show. Add in the rumored drug connection, and it was worrisome, as well as Leah having to be a "mom" to another kid. Plus, a man with one young biological child will probably be looking to have another soon. I hope Leah's kids weren't too attached to him! 

I think best case for Leah might be a slightly older guy (like up to 35 max, more like 30) who is good with kids, but doesn't need to have his own. A guy with a hereditary condition that he doesn't want to pass down would be great, although hopefully it wouldn't affect his quality of life too much. I could definitely see her with a gentle and goofy guy, who is at least somewhat of a leader too, and someone she is physically attracted to. His job should not be the most important thing in his life, and he could make a decent living without being wealthy. With her child support payments, they would be all right. I'd also like to see her with someone who makes her believe in herself for real...none of this live your standard BS. A guy who gently encourages her to go for an attainable goal, or even go back to working for a dentist part-time, encouraging her efforts along the way, would do wonders for her self-esteem. I could see her working with someone sweet and even-keeled, who would just laugh when she inevitably does something kind of crazy. I think if she found an easygoing beta type guy who she was physically attracted enough to, she would not have the issues she's had respecting her other partners, and her self-esteem would soar. I think Leah means well, and I really do wish she could be happy! I think avoiding this last guy is really a blessing in disguise. 

I love how detailed you are! I think a guy without kids would be good for Leah, but most childfree men in their 30s won’t want to date someone with children that young. Leah does not need another kid! I’d say a slightly older guy (like 35, just like you said) who had kids young so they are at least in middle school. I think she should just date- NOT move him in, but have fun and hang out when she has free Time. 

 

You think she will hop back on Robbie or Jeremy?

[druzy]

1 hour ago, Scarlett45 said:

 Leah does not need another kid!

She definitely doesn't need another kid. She can't even keep track of the three kids she has. 

Leah stated that both she and Corey carry the gene that causes Titin MD. Here is her direct quote regarding getting the other twin tested (sorry I get confused with their names. I think her name is Gracie but sometimes Aleeah)

Quote

“She’s a child of Corey and I’s, and we carry the gene. She hasn’t been tested. We thought that she had been tested, but I guess that was for some other testing research. The possibility of her even having it is worrisome to me.”

I wonder if doctors advised Leah (and Corey) not to reproduce after they discovered they carried that gene. 

[DangerousMinds]

Yet they both went on to have more kids with new partners.

[Miss Chevious]

1 hour ago, Scarlett45 said:

 

You think she will hop back on Robbie or Jeremy?

It’s my guess that she already has.

[NannyBails]

14 hours ago, Christina87 said:

 

 I'd also like to see her with someone who makes her believe in herself for real...none of this live your standard BS. A guy who gently encourages her to go for an attainable goal, or even go back to working for a dentist part-time, encouraging her efforts along the way, would do wonders for her self-esteem.

I agree with this, but I also hope that Leah learns to do this for herself first, so she doesn't rely on someone else to help her boost her self-esteem.

I also think Leah, as well as Amber and Cate, could really use a hobby or a job or a volunteer activity.  Something fun to do that could give her a new skill so she can develop some self confidence.  It would also give her another point of attraction for a future mate.  Her looks aren't going to last forever. 

[MyPeopleAreNordic]

18 hours ago, Christina87 said:

Leah and her boyfriend have reportedly split! I do feel bad for her, because she looked so happy, but I had a bad feeling about him from the start. He seemed like the Peter Pan type to me, an older man who waited really long to have a kid (nothing wrong with that by itself though) and then divorced the mom quickly, only to "settle down" with a single mom in her twenties wit a trashy TV show. Add in the rumored drug connection, and it was worrisome, as well as Leah having to be a "mom" to another kid. Plus, a man with one young biological child will probably be looking to have another soon. I hope Leah's kids weren't too attached to him! 

 

Jason just turned 40. How old is his son?

I mean, I get by Holler standards that he's old enough to be a PawPaw but if his kid is like 5-10, I hardly think that's waiting REALLY long for many people (particularly educated, middle class people in urban areas)...but then again, this is West Virginia. No shade to WV, the South is like this in many areas and demographics (I say this as a Southerner).  

(Maybe I'm sensitive to this since my husband- who is a couple of years older than me - will be 40 when my daughter is 5 & son is 7.)

Edited October 24, 2018 by MyPeopleAreNordic

[Tatum]

@MyPeopleAreNordic I think his son is 2. If you do the math, he and the missus split when the kid was like 3 months old.

 

ETA: Based on the timing, I don't think he "waited" to be a dad. I think he and a girlfriend had an oops and got married, only to find out that's not the best grounds for a marriage. I know I don't know this guy, but it wouldn't surprise me if he plays glowing single dad up to impress the ladies, and leaves most of the parenting to his ex.

 

From USWeekly:

Quote

“Even though he’s older, they have a lot in common,” a source told Us at the time. “They share the same faith and have gone to church together. They love hiking, cooking and are both very family oriented. He’s very attentive.”

LOL, Leah loves cooking????

 

ETA: Mr. Tatum is 41. Our kids are 7 and 3 :).

Edited October 24, 2018 by Tatum

[Christina87]

15 minutes ago, MyPeopleAreNordic said:

Jason just turned 40. How old is his son?

I mean, I get by Holler standards that he's old enough to be a PawPaw but if his kid is like 5-10, I hardly think that's waiting REALLY long for many people (particularly educated, middle class people in urban areas)...but then again, this is West Virginia. No shade to WV, the South is like this in many areas and demographics (I say this as a Southerner).  

(Maybe I'm sensitive to this since my husband- who is a couple of years older than me - will be 40 when my daughter is 5 & son is 7.)

I think his son is really young, like 2 or 3. No shade at all to older parents...i will be one if I'm blessed to have kids! I just think all those things in combination could paint a picture like this:

jason was a partier, and knew he wanted kids, but "wasn't looking for anything serious" until his late 30's so he could keep sleeping with new girls every night. He probably rejected numerous girls who would have been great to have a family yet because he wasn't "ready" at 35. Then at almost 40, he's finally "ready," but oopsies, he's still not "ready" for any age-appropriate women yet! Plus now he wants more kids, and may be worried his aging wife can't have another, or multiple more if that suits his fancy. So he gets a divorce when the child is just a couple months old, and immediately hones in on an at least former drug addict in her twenties, who he can date for "fun" and "no pressure" a few years before getting married, and then waiting around a few more years before she bears his multiple children. 

Idk, I could be completely wrong, but I have known plenty of scumbag guys who have done the same thing! Some will do anything to put off having a family, and want to have their cake and eat it too. Being a first time dad near 40 alone wouldn't be a red flag if he hadn't immediately divorced and found a much younger woman, but that's making me side eye him all over the place! Plus, like you said, most guys here reproduce at 20. Jason also seems to be an obvious "pretty boy," so my guess is that his rather youthful looks helped him casually bed twenty-year-olds up until at least 35, and now that he's decided commitment is okay, he wants it with a much younger woman. 

16 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

I love how detailed you are! I think a guy without kids would be good for Leah, but most childfree men in their 30s won’t want to date someone with children that young. Leah does not need another kid! I’d say a slightly older guy (like 35, just like you said) who had kids young so they are at least in middle school. I think she should just date- NOT move him in, but have fun and hang out when she has free Time. 

 

You think she will hop back on Robbie or Jeremy?

I think you are so right!!! A guy with kids in middle or high school would be great for her. Plus, if the kids were family-oriented, they may be able to give some positive attention to Gracie, who clearly needs it, and serve as good role models for Leah's kids. Wouldn't it be cool if she found a teen dad who is now 35, with kids who are a few years away from leaving home? He could relate to her on that level, but not have little kids himself. Sounds like a win win!

[MyPeopleAreNordic]

Okay, I was thinking his kid was closer to Ali & Gracie's age. Thanks, ya'll.  (And I get what ya'll are saying.)

[My dad was 39 when I was born (so was my mom) but I was a surprise (and their only child) after 20 years of marriage. :) I was raised in a working class suburb of New Orleans. My parents were often the same age (or a year or two older) than my friends' grandparents.  My guess is Leah's ex has friends around his age who have grandkids the same age as his son since the son is young...because the South. It's not as common any more, but in many places in the South it's not really all that uncommon, either.]

Edited October 25, 2018 by MyPeopleAreNordic

[ghoulina]

3 hours ago, Tatum said:

LOL, Leah loves cooking????

Maybe she and Jason both enjoyed burning cans of ravioli at midnight? Don't hate on true love!

[monicageller]

12 hours ago, Tatum said:

 

LOL, Leah loves cooking????

 

Well, she loves getting slapped with bacon.

[druzy]

25 minutes ago, monicageller said:

Well, she loves getting slapped with bacon.

 

[BitterApple]

23 hours ago, MyPeopleAreNordic said:

Jason just turned 40. How old is his son?

I mean, I get by Holler standards that he's old enough to be a PawPaw but if his kid is like 5-10, I hardly think that's waiting REALLY long for many people (particularly educated, middle class people in urban areas)...but then again, this is West Virginia. No shade to WV, the South is like this in many areas and demographics (I say this as a Southerner).  

(Maybe I'm sensitive to this since my husband- who is a couple of years older than me - will be 40 when my daughter is 5 & son is 7.)

I'm originally from Boston and pretty much everyone I know from high school had at least one kid after 35. Most of my classmates didn't get married until they were around 30. It's crazy that would be considered senior citizen in places like Leah's holler. 

[MyPeopleAreNordic]

21 hours ago, ghoulina said:

Maybe she and Jason both enjoyed burning cans of ravioli at midnight? Don't hate on true love!

@ghoulina wins the internet today.

Bahahahaha!

[Christina87]

I really do feel bad for Leah. She has been a terrible partner in both of her marriages, but she is the kind of person that I think had no business marrying young. It's such a cliche that people start to settle down when their looks begin fading, but I think that's exactly what she SHOULD have done! She was so used to being princess of the hollar, and i think that gave her the idea that she deserved to be idolized for just existing; laundry and dinner be damned! She seems like the kind of person who would have been better off dating around, working in a dentist's office, and learning how to manage a household of one person for ten years after high school, until she realized she wasn't the hottest thing around anymore and settled down. She would have been so much more mature and ready. Really good looks (for the area at least), combined with a sense of entitlement, laziness, and just being dim are not a good combination for marriage success! I think if a mid-twenties Leah started to realize she wasn't attracting as many guys anymore, she might have to adjust her attitude a little and start looking for a true life partner, one who would expect her to put in work, too. These guys in the hollar don't realize that being the prettiest girl on the cheerleading squad and being fun company on a date or two doesn't mean someone has life / domestic experience or interest in learning, or the maturity for a marriage. Being self-sufficient for ten years or so would indicate that they have learned at least something. I just feel like Leah means well, but was way, way in over her head with both marriages. Maybe now she knows her strengths and limitations better, and can play to the strengths while finding ways around her weaknesses. She is a sweet girl IMO and I would like to hope she has matured!

Edited October 25, 2018 by Christina87

[luvbadtv]

On 10/24/2018 at 2:32 PM, ghoulina said:

Maybe she and Jason both enjoyed burning cans of ravioli at midnight? Don't hate on true love!

Leah avoids burning the ravioli by just skipping the "heat" part of "heat and serve".

[Scarlett45]

1 hour ago, Christina87 said:

I really do feel bad for Leah. She has been a terrible partner in both of her marriages, but she is the kind of person that I think had no business marrying young. It's such a cliche that people start to settle down when their looks begin fading, but I think that's exactly what she SHOULD have done! She was so used to being princess of the hollar, and i think that gave her the idea that she deserved to be idolized for just existing; laundry and dinner be damned! She seems like the kind of person who would have been better off dating around, working in a dentist's office, and learning how to manage a household of one person for ten years after high school, until she realized she wasn't the hottest thing around anymore and settled down. She would have been so much more mature and ready. Really good looks (for the area at least), combined with a sense of entitlement, laziness, and just being dim are not a good combination for marriage success! I think if a mid-twenties Leah started to realize she wasn't attracting as many guys anymore, she might have to adjust her attitude a little and start looking for a true life partner, one who would expect her to put in work, too. These guys in the hollar don't realize that being the prettiest girl on the cheerleading squad and being fun company on a date or two doesn't mean someone has life / domestic experience or interest in learning, or the maturity for a marriage. Being self-sufficient for ten years or so would indicate that they have learned at least something. I just feel like Leah means well, but was way, way in over her head with both marriages. Maybe now she knows her strengths and limitations better, and can play to the strengths while finding ways around her weaknesses. She is a sweet girl IMO and I would like to hope she has matured!

Yes I agree with you. I think of the two of them Chelsea is probably sweeter, but she had a more stable upbringing (so that may count for something). Leah was quite humbled by her time in rehab (stay away from the pills Leah!), and she no longer seem to think she’s gods gift to the men in her life (which just might be maturity on her part).  Having three kids, one with a chronic condition, two failed marriages does not endear her to the men of the Holler as there are still many pretty skinny young women with NO baggage. 

I do think Leah will settle down with a decent enough guy, but it will probably be for a while.

[Calm81]

18 hours ago, druzy said:

 

Damn, Druzy! You let me down. I clicked that play button excited to hear sounds of slapped bacon ? ?

[monicageller]

http://www.theashleysrealityroundup.com/2018/10/25/teen-mom-2-star-leah-messer-admits-to-having-daddy-issues-says-reconnecting-with-her-biological-father-was-very-unhealthy/

Quote

On the new episode of her Life Reboot podcast, Leah Messer opened up about her strained relationship with her biological father, admitting that it may be partly responsible for the problems she’s had with men throughout her life.

“I wanted a dad. I was someone who really wanted that father figure. I wanted that feeling of love from a man….two divorces in a row, I mean…” Leah told her podcast co-hosts.

(As Teen Mom 2 fans know, Leah divorced her first husband, Corey Simms, in 2011 and her second husband, Jeremy Calvert, in 2015.)

“I felt abandonment issues because I wanted it so much,” Leah said. “My entire childhood was…if you grow up without the other parent that’s something you always want. There was so much anger, all of the emotions I felt from being abandoned by my father.”

As The Ashley has previously reported, Leah’s father (who ‘Teen Mom 2’ fans met around the time of Leah’s wedding to Jeremy) has struggled with substance abuse issues, and was even arrested back in 2011 for possessing painkillers that were not prescribed to him.

On her podcast, Leah said that, as a child, she looked past her father’s flaws and idolized him.

“I was a daddy’s girl,” she said. “As a kid it doesn’t matter what your parents do, you think they’re the best thing ever.”

Leah’s reconnection with her father around that time played a part in her eventual downward spiral. It was rumored (but never confirmed by Leah) that her father was not sober at the time of their reconnection, and it was alleged that he may have contributed to Leah’s own substance abuse issues.

“When he finally showed back up, it was not good,” Leah said of her biological father. “It was definitely a turning point. [I realized] I can love myself enough, and I don’t need him to fill that place in my life.”

In August 2017, Leah hinted that her father still struggled with dangerous issues.

“When your dad calls and you haven’t heard from him in quite some time, do you answer or let your voicemail do the talking?” she tweeted. “It’s the same thing every call. Maybe this time he really is going to choose life over death. All I can do is [pray].”

Leah has been reluctant to open up completely about her own issues with (alleged) drug use. However, she did admit during one ‘Teen Mom 2’ episode that she was using painkillers such as Percocet, Hydrocodone and Tylenol 3 to deal with back pain she said she suffered after a botched spinal tap during her daughter Addie’s birth. She claimed that she had stopped taking the meds, though, something her ex-husbands denied.

As The Ashley reported back in 2015, Leah was basically forced by MTV into seeking treatment, after being plagued by drug use “rumors” for about a year. (Both of her ex-husbands confronted Leah on-camera about her alleged drug problem.) Leah completed treatment, stating that she was there to deal with her anxiety and depression issues.

It appears that Leah has since cut ties with her biological father.

“That relationship was very unhealthy,” Leah told her co-hosts, adding that she no longer looks outside of herself to find acceptance.

“Once I found that self love within myself, I was like, ‘I don’t need a man to fill that role,'” Leah said.

 

[FairyDusted]

Sounds good. Doubtful she changes her path. Come on Leah. Prove me wrong!

[BitterApple]

1 hour ago, FairyDusted said:

Sounds good. Doubtful she changes her path. Come on Leah. Prove me wrong!

Yeah, I'm side-eyeing until I see concrete evidence of this new "independent woman" persona. Just a few weeks ago she was talking about having another baby by the guy she just broke up with. It's like all these girls have a default mode of "must have baby to secure relationship." None of then seem to think a guy would stick around otherwise.

Edited October 26, 2018 by BitterApple

[Christina87]

Yeah, I've never seen any evidence that she is happy without a man. Plus, she is the type to go around flirting with and depending on her kids' dads even to this day. She loves the fact that she has men supporting her, and in a way, I can see her thinking her two failed marriages mean she's more desirable, like Elizabeth Taylor. Remember all the makeup she wore to FaceTime with Jeremy? I can't imagine a toooootally single Leah, who isn't into somebody. I think if either Corey or Jeremy were truly single and in the area, she would jump on that opportunity!

Edited October 26, 2018 by Christina87

[MyPeopleAreNordic]

On 10/25/2018 at 2:44 PM, Christina87 said:

Being self-sufficient for ten years or so would indicate that they have learned at least something. I just feel like Leah means well, but was way, way in over her head with both marriages. Maybe now she knows her strengths and limitations better, and can play to the strengths while finding ways around her weaknesses. She is a sweet girl IMO and I would like to hope she has matured!

Hell, Leah would have benefited from being single and self-sufficient (and childless) even for like five years. A 22-23 year old Leah with no kids, no husband, and supporting herself as a receptionist or something would have been much more ready & confident for marriages, kids, etc. 

[Christina87]

1 hour ago, MyPeopleAreNordic said:

Hell, Leah would have benefited from being single and self-sufficient (and childless) even for like five years. A 22-23 year old Leah with no kids, no husband, and supporting herself as a receptionist or something would have been much more ready & confident for marriages, kids, etc. 

You know, this is one thing I've never really thought about with teen pregnancy, that I've learned on this show. The girls really do miss out so much on being independent, achieving, and building their confidence! I always thought, "well, they just have to do school with a baby in tow, but then they still get that stage." However, now I am even more convinced they need that stage BEFORE they have children! Even people who get married right after high school have the achievement of graduating before they have kids, and normally work a few years, contributing to the couple's income. The vast majority of parents live alone at least a little while and support themselves before they have kids. I never really thought about how essential this phase was, but now I think it truly is. All of these girls would be so much better adjusted if they'd had kids at 25+!

leah could have lived alone, dated, and supported herself as a receptionist. She would have felt confident even if she became a SAHM after that, and would have easily been able to conquer laundry and cooking before midnight. Compared to working and doing the housework, it wouldn't be a huge challenge to keep house, and she would realize humans all have to do their share in life. She wouldn't have expected a free ride like she did with Corey and Jeremy. Instead, she had two marriages she wasn't ready for. Now that she's been alone (ish) a few years and hopefully has improved, she has a lot of baggage that will keep suitable men away. 

Chelsea is very much the same. She would have graduated high school and gone straight to hair school. I think without Aubree and the show, she would have lived with Randy, and he would have been able to get her up in the mornings and keep her on track. She could have worked in a salon for a few years, and would have had confidence and skills when she met a guy and became a SAHM, because I believe that is what she wants to do. Or, she could have even kept working at the salon part time, or done weddings on the weekends and for prom, because she would have such developed skills! Instead, she floundered around for years, feeling under confident, until someone "saved" her. I still don't believe she has the confidence to think she could  make it on her own, and neither does Leah  

Kail definitely was a hustler! Without Isaac, I could see her going straight through community college, or even going to a four-year college! I truly wish she could have done the latter, because she would have had a stable dorm housing situation there. Even if she'd met a guy like javi who wanted marriage, I can see a determinedly Kail at least putting off kids if she didn't have them already. If she'd never been a teen mom, I could totally see her being the "no kids til at least 30" kind of gal. I think she would have LOVED the feeling of bringing home the bacon and having things she didn't have growing up as a result of her hard work. She would have been such a good dental hygienist if that's the path she had taken! She already is a good parent in some ways, and she would have been great at 30+. Instead, she is floundering still, and seems scared to try to make it in the real world. If she'd had no choice but to just do it, she would have succeeded.

Jenelle, honestly, idk about though. I can't see her holding a job or getting through any type of school. She would have sponged off Barb as long as she could, and then gotten on drugs and welfare. I do think she might not have had kids though if she'd never had Jace. 

Edited October 29, 2018 by Christina87

[monicageller]

At least Cole is wearing his own pants!

[FairyDusted]

4 hours ago, monicageller said:

At least Cole is wearing his own pants!

LMAO! Oh please let this be SHADE! But I know this is Chelsea we are talking about so probably not but damn if it isn't just DEEEELISH to US! 

[monicageller]

1 minute ago, FairyDusted said:

LMAO! Oh please let this be SHADE! But I know this is Chelsea we are talking about so probably not but damn if it isn't just DEEEELISH to US! 

Haha this was my thought process when I saw it! Unintentional shade, but I'll still take it!

[FairyDusted]

High Five @monicageller! I just woke my dog up! 

[druzy]

Quote

Teen Mom 2’ Star Leah Messer Finally Admits She Had a Drug Dependency: “Everything Was Crashing Down on Me”

Leah Messer is finally coming clean about the time in her life where she struggled with a prescription pill addiction.

For years, the Teen Mom 2 star has denied that she had a drug problem during the period of time following her daughter Addie’s birth in February 2013. The topic was covered extensively on the show, with Leah always denying that she had dependency issues. However, on the latest episode of her Life Reboot podcast, Leah finally admitted that she was, indeed, battling an addiction to pills during that time in her life.

“I do know how it feels to become dependent on anything given by a doctor,” Leah said.

She later talked about how her drug dependency turned her life upside down.

“Not only was I losing my kids but I was basically losing my life, my husband, everything,” Leah said about her life in 2014 and 2015. “Everything was crashing down on me.”

For the first time, Leah told the full story about how she became dependent on pain pills, and the time she spent at a treatment center in May 2015.

According to Leah and her ex-husband, Jeremy Calvert— who took part in the podcast episode– Leah’s drug problem started when she went to the hospital to give birth to Addie.

“I just went in to deliver Addie and they injected me like 13 times [during the epidural],” Leah said. “In the hospital I couldn’t get up and they just put me on morphine pump. I kept telling Jeremy, ‘Something’s not right.’

“I spent three days in the hospital and they weren’t figuring out what the problem was. They were just keeping me on medicine. It goes into four days and I kept saying something was not right… I leave the hospital and it still doesn’t get better at home. They put me on different drugs to go home on for three months, three different drugs.”

Leah stated that she was very naive when it came to drugs, and that she was actually against taking any painkillers, since she watched her biological father battle addiction.

“I was very oblivious to any drug,” she said. “I was actually anti[-drug] because my dad was a drug addict so I wouldn’t take anything.”

Soon, though, Leah and Jeremy said that Leah’s pain got so bad that Leah needed the medication to get through her day.

“When she got out [of the hospital] she was in constant pain… headaches, lower back pain,” Jeremy said.

“[The pain] would shoot up my spine and the morphine wasn’t doing anything,” she said. “My dad was a drug addict so I was like, ‘I don’t ever want to be a part of that. I don’t want that to be in my life.’ But by then I was already dependent on the medication.”

‘Teen Mom 2’ watched in one memorable scene when Leah dozed off while talking on the phone to her daughter’s nurse, as well as when Leah fell asleep holding her baby niece. Leah explained what was going on during that time.

Leah dozed off while on the phone during a memorable scene from ‘Teen Mom 2’…

 

“I’d go to my doctor because I thought that maybe there was something else wrong with me and they put me on Diazepam [the generic version of Valium], and it had me nodding off,” she said.

Leah continued to take pain medication which, according to Jeremy, she was able to get thanks to her biological father, who was living in their basement at the time.

(The Ashley has stated in the past that Leah’s father contributed to her addiction, but this is the first time that Leah herself actually admitted it.)

On the show, Leah continued to deny that she had a drug problem, even during a face-to-face meeting with her ex-husband Corey Simms, who was trying to take custody of their twins from Leah. However, she now admits that there was something very wrong, although she didn’t want it playing out on the show.

“What she was worried about the entire time was what everyone was gonna think,” Jeremy said.

MTV gave Leah’s drug dependency a very generous edit…

The drug dependency started to affect every part of Leah’s life, she said.

“Jeremy and I started having issues. Then, after Jeremy and I started having issues, then Corey stepped in,” Leah said. “[MTV] would make it look— I’ll just go ahead and say, even though I’m under contract—- they did make it look sometimes worse than it was, and they played it on longer than it actually was.”

“I’d go to my doctor because I thought that maybe there was something else wrong with me and they put me on Diazepam [the generic version of Valium], and it had me nodding off,” she said.

Leah continued to take pain medication which, according to Jeremy, she was able to get thanks to her biological father, who was living in their basement at the time.

(The Ashley has stated in the past that Leah’s father contributed to her addiction, but this is the first time that Leah herself actually admitted it.)

On the show, Leah continued to deny that she had a drug problem, even during a face-to-face meeting with her ex-husband Corey Simms, who was trying to take custody of their twins from Leah. However, she now admits that there was something very wrong, although she didn’t want it playing out on the show.

 

“What she was worried about the entire time was what everyone was gonna think,” Jeremy said.

The drug dependency started to affect every part of Leah’s life, she said.

“Jeremy and I started having issues. Then, after Jeremy and I started having issues, then Corey stepped in,” Leah said. “[MTV] would make it look— I’ll just go ahead and say, even though I’m under contract—- they did make it look sometimes worse than it was, and they played it on longer than it actually was.”

“You also had MTV putting their f**king two cents on it, when they had no business with it,” Jeremy added. “Our marriage and some of the things they wanted to have a hold on wasn’t anyone’s business besides ours….You also had MTV’s point of view in your ear, constantly. MTV had a lot to do with a lot of things.”

As The Ashley reported back in 2015, the show’s higher-ups basically forced Leah into going to rehab, using portions of her show contract (particularly those dealing with payment) as a way of getting her to go. She was originally supposed to go to a treatment center in early May 2015, and even made it as far as the airport to go, but refused to get on the plane.

(They eventually rewrote the story to make it look like Leah went, but then came back because she was worried about Corey taking custody of the twins while she was gone. This was not actually what happened in real life.)

Eventually, Leah and the producers agreed to state on the show that Leah was going to the treatment center to get help for her depression and anxiety.

In 2016, Leah refused to admit during an appearance on The Steve Harvey Show that she went to the rehab to get help for her drug dependency. She did admit, though, that most of the people in her life were not happy about her going to rehab. See video below

“Jeremy was on board, he was telling me to go to treatment,” Leah said. “We were divorcing but he was still like, ‘You need to go.’”

Once Leah arrived at the Sierra Tucson rehab center in Arizona, Leah said she met with an addiction specialist, even though she wasn’t technically on the center’s addiction track.

“They had me on the trauma track. You don’t go to treatment just for addiction. You can go to treatment for addiction, trauma, for pain,” she said.

Leah said that, once she was at the treatment center, she thrived and finally got to live the normal life of a person in their early twenties, which was something she had never done before, due to her teen pregnancy.

“You want to know what I learned most from going to treatment? I had never had a time to not only get better, but I had a month to get into who I was…a sneak peek of who I was. I had kids at 17. I never had any time for Leah,” she said.

“You never got to experience fun stuff that normal teenagers get to experience,” Jeremy added.

“When I was in treatment… I honestly felt like it was a month in college,” Leah added. “Most people have that four years of college, but I had that month. It was an eye-opener and a spiritual awakening.”

Leah said she had hit “rock bottom” before going to treatment and, in a past podcast episode, admitted that she had been suicidal during that time.

“I don’t feel ashamed,” she said. “I felt that people seen it [play out on the show] different than what it actually was. It wasn’t like I chose that, but even if I did, that doesn’t matter.

“I’m in a much better place than I was,” she added.

To listen to the entire episode of Life Reboot podcast, click here!

 

Edited November 17, 2018 by druzy

[druzy]

Quote

“You never got to experience fun stuff that normal teenagers get to experience,” Jeremy added.

I never got the chance to experience the fun stuff like a $300,000.00 payday for doing nothing. 

Edited November 17, 2018 by druzy

[Scarlett45]

16 minutes ago, druzy said:

I never got the chance to experience the fun stuff like a $300,000.00 payday for doing nothing. 

Ummm yes and all of these Teen Moms DID get the fun teenage life- hence they had time to have sex! None of these girls were raped or abused (which happens far too often), they all dated and had sex with similar age guys they chose themselves. I’m not shaming them for that, that’s how I wish every young person started their sex life, but let’s not pretend these girls were slaving away, working, taking care of younger siblings/disabled relatives etc and stole away a few moments of recreation that lead to their pregnancy. PLEASE. 

[BitterApple]

27 minutes ago, druzy said:

I never got the chance to experience the fun stuff like a $300,000.00 payday for doing nothing. 

Um, thank you! All these girls can take a flying fucking leap with their martyrhood. Like you, I'd love the opportunity to make mid six figures for gluing my ass to the couch and whining about my problems.

[geauxaway]

Hold up.  Her bio dad was living in their basement?  

I don’t know why she is finally admitting this now, but I sure hope she made amends to Corey and Miranda.  Although I don’t get the feeling that she learned anything in rehab other than getting off the pillses.  Sounds to me like she is blaming editing for making her look bad.  So still not taking responsibility for her addiction.

[druzy]

20 minutes ago, geauxaway said:

 Although I don’t get the feeling that she learned anything in rehab other than getting off the pillses.  

I think she's still on the pillses but to a lesser degree and she hides it better.

[BitterApple]

25 minutes ago, druzy said:

I think she's still on the pillses but to a lesser degree and she hides it better.

It wouldn't surprise me, kind of like a functioning alcoholic.

[FairyDusted]

4 hours ago, druzy said:

 

 

Fucking MONKEY!!!!

Her dad was helping her stay high?! Well now we know why she went into hysterics when she opened that door. She went and asked Dad for pills. 

[Christina87]

19 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

Ummm yes and all of these Teen Moms DID get the fun teenage life- hence they had time to have sex! None of these girls were raped or abused (which happens far too often), they all dated and had sex with similar age guys they chose themselves. I’m not shaming them for that, that’s how I wish every young person started their sex life, but let’s not pretend these girls were slaving away, working, taking care of younger siblings/disabled relatives etc and stole away a few moments of recreation that lead to their pregnancy. PLEASE. 

THIS times a thousand!!!! ^^^ I struggled with terrible migraines in my teenage years, and though I enjoyed some things like a normal person (dance, choir, basketball, PG nights with friends), I never got to do soooo much of what I wanted. My ex used to laugh at me when I said it, but I frequently say I would give anything to redo high school, now that I know what helps the migraines! I'd dreamed all my life of being a cheerleader (Leah got to go that!), and I would have made it since I did dance and gymnastics my whole life, but one of my migraine triggers was being out in the sun and getting overheated, so no way I would have made it through the first 2/3 of the season! I was very wary of screen time, since screens (especially with the low refresh rates back then) trigger them, so no movie nights for me. I couldn't stay up late either, or my biological clock would get out of whack and trigger them. Forget alcohol too, and actually a LOT of foods. I never ate one slice of pizza in high school! All these restrictions make for a very uptight person, too, so my personality was definitely different than before and after that period in life. I would do anything to go back, cheer (and I still could have played basketball too), have more friends, go out to dinners and movies, and done normal teenage things. As for sex, hah...I had one boyfriend for like a couple months who was gay, and then at the very end of my teen years, when my migraines were improving, got involved with an Adam. Still, I feel grateful that I was able to have some semblance of teen years, because a lot of people don't even get that chance  

So no, Leah, I really don't feel sorry for you...at all! I think it's so insensitive when celebs say things like this, anyway. Leah, lots of people miss their teen years because they were lying in a hospital bed, fighting cancer. You weren't Michael jackson, Leah. You didn't have an overbearing parent pushing you into show business to the point you had no childhood. YOU had too much fun and made mistakes that you not only didn't suffer from, but PROFITED from! You also CHOSE to sign onto this show at eighteen, when you were a legal adult. People like Jeremy choose to sign their lives away to demanding jobs like the pipeline at eighteen, and many don't make much, either. So yeah...no sympathy here!

[HeySandyStrange]

2 hours ago, Christina87 said:

THIS times a thousand!!!! ^^^ I struggled with terrible migraines in my teenage years, and though I enjoyed some things like a normal person (dance, choir, basketball, PG nights with friends), I never got to do soooo much of what I wanted. My ex used to laugh at me when I said it, but I frequently say I would give anything to redo high school, now that I know what helps the migraines! I'd dreamed all my life of being a cheerleader (Leah got to go that!)

Seriously, yo, Leah doesn't realize how lucky she had it, even before the almighty MTV paychecks and child support came into her life. She seemed pretty darn happy and carefree as a teenager, and was able to cheer in school and party with her friends. Considering she came from a lower middle class background and a rural area, the fact she had the time, money, and transportation to do that sort of fun shit says a lot to me. In my HS years, my middle class, one car family didn't have the time to get me places, and I was extremely shy so I didn't have many friends or social outlets. Why can't these chicks ever be thankful for anything? Also, I'm about tired of these chicks whining about how they lost out on the 'best years of their lives' because they got knocked up as teens. Like, dudes, you all chose to have sex, and you all chose to keep your babies, despite the many options available to you. For that matter, a lot of you chose (looking at Leah, Kail, and Jenelle) to have more kids right away and ran right into ill-advised marriages/relationships instead of being single and dealing with the one and/or two children you already had. And they are getting paid more money most of us will ever see for this mess. I would just take the money and run, instead of throwing pity parties over my own poor choices. Ugh.

Edited November 17, 2018 by HeySandyStrange

[Christina87]

3 hours ago, HeySandyStrange said:

Seriously, yo, Leah doesn't realize how lucky she had it, even before the almighty MTV paychecks and child support came into her life. She seemed pretty darn happy and carefree as a teenager, and was able to cheer in school and party with her friends. Considering she came from a lower middle class background and a rural area, the fact she had the time, money, and transportation to do that sort of fun shit says a lot to me. In my HS years, my middle class, one car family didn't have the time to get me places, and I was extremely shy so I didn't have many friends or social outlets. Why can't these chicks ever be thankful for anything? Also, I'm about tired of these chicks whining about how they lost out on the 'best years of their lives' because they got knocked up as teens. Like, dudes, you all chose to have sex, and you all chose to keep your babies, despite the many options available to you. For that matter, a lot of you chose (looking at Leah, Kail, and Jenelle) to have more kids right away and ran right into ill-advised marriages/relationships instead of being single and dealing with the one and/or two children you already had. And they are getting paid more money most of us will ever see for this mess. I would just take the money and run, instead of throwing pity parties over my own poor choices. Ugh.

 

Right!!! And they also didn't have the responsibilities that an average person their age would have! They would have if not for MTV, but they got lucky and didn't have to study or earn a paycheck, and those who did study certainly went at their own pace, to say the least! Raising a child is hard, but so is going to college or getting into the kind of trade that Jeremy does. It seems about equal to me; your typical 18-22 year old college student feels so much pressure, and must spend a huge amount of time studying, often while working! They didn't have that kind of stress. Arguably their responsibilities were easier in a way, as nobody is strictly holding you accountable for your parenting. If you're a shitty college student, you flunk out. If you're a shitty parent (Jenelle, Leah during the pillses years), people might criticize you, but you have to mess up a LOT to get your kids taken away! You don't have to lose your livelihood or reevaluate your future plans if you're a shitty parent. In fact, most people who don't know how bad of a parent you are will still revere you for doing "the hardest job in the world" (and I do think it's hard if you care, but people like Jenelle don't care, or put much effort into being a parent). Like you said, they all made the choice to have sex (and I think they all admitted it was unprotected), keep their babies, and get on the show. They did have stress, but so does pretty much everyone else their age. 

Edited November 18, 2018 by Christina87

[akr]

Ok, a dissenting point of view:  I think it's great that Leah is opening up about this. It takes a lot of courage, and she seems stable enough in her recovery at this point that talking about it can provide an example, as they say, of experience, strength, and hope for anyone in her area who may be dealing with similar struggles. It's probably for the best that she kept things more private earlier, seeing as how she's getting a lot of flak in response.

Edited November 18, 2018 by akr
typo

[Christina87]

11 minutes ago, akr said:

Ok, a dissenting point of view:  I think it's great that Leah is opening up about this. It takes a lot of courage, and she seems stable enough in her recovery at this point that talking about can provide an example, as they say, of experience, strength, and hope for anyone in her area who may be dealing with similar struggles. It's probably for the best that she kept things more private earlier, seeing as how she's getting a lot of flak in response.

Oh, I absolutely agree that I'm glad she's fessing up too! I'm just tired of hearing about these poor celebs not having a "normal life."

[geauxaway]

3 hours ago, akr said:

Ok, a dissenting point of view:  I think it's great that Leah is opening up about this. It takes a lot of courage, and she seems stable enough in her recovery at this point that talking about it can provide an example, as they say, of experience, strength, and hope for anyone in her area who may be dealing with similar struggles. It's probably for the best that she kept things more private earlier, seeing as how she's getting a lot of flak in response.

The only thing she has opened up about is she had a pill problem, 4 years later. Then she tried to say MTV edited it bad to make her look worse.  If she was truly coming clean she would say I’m sorry to Corey and Miranda, and she wouldn’t place the blame on editing.   And let’s be real here, she’s probably still on pills and HELLO VICTORIA, her sister is totes pilled out, too.  

I’m still trying to understand how her never mentioned before dad was LIVING IN HER HOUSE while filming and it was never exposed.  

[AmyFarrahFowler]

6 hours ago, geauxaway said:

The only thing she has opened up about is she had a pill problem, 4 years later. Then she tried to say MTV edited it bad to make her look worse.  If she was truly coming clean she would say I’m sorry to Corey and Miranda, and she wouldn’t place the blame on editing.   And let’s be real here, she’s probably still on pills and HELLO VICTORIA, her sister is totes pilled out, too.  

I’m still trying to understand how her never mentioned before dad was LIVING IN HER HOUSE while filming and it was never exposed.  

She might have apologized. Not everything has to be a part of the show especially as Corey and Miranda have really taken a backseat in their appearances since that period of time. I'm very impressed with them in that regard.

[geauxaway]

1 hour ago, AmyFarrahFowler said:

She might have apologized. Not everything has to be a part of the show especially as Corey and Miranda have really taken a backseat in their appearances since that period of time. I'm very impressed with them in that regard.

You are 100% correct but it wouldn’t hurt Leah to mention in her podcast that she has made an effort to make amends with them in private.  Since she so publicly tried to drag them through the mud on the show, which did lead to them choosing to not be filmed, to me anyway it would actually show some growth on her part.  

[AmyFarrahFowler]

4 minutes ago, geauxaway said:

You are 100% correct but it wouldn’t hurt Leah to mention in her podcast that she has made an effort to make amends with them in private.  Since she so publicly tried to drag them through the mud on the show, which did lead to them choosing to not be filmed, to me anyway it would actually show some growth on her part.  

I agree. There's nothing wrong with mentioning that she reached out to them. That would show growth in her recovery.

[druzy]

9 hours ago, geauxaway said:

I’m still trying to understand how her never mentioned before dad was LIVING IN HER HOUSE while filming and it was never exposed.  

I wonder if there was a quid pro quo going on there. Her father gave her the pills and Leah allowed him to stay in the basement. 

I always wondered who Leah was talking to in this clip when she went in the basement. It wasn't Victoria, she was in the kitchen.

Edited November 18, 2018 by druzy

[FairyDusted]

Thanks for getting that clip. I recall that scene and we all questioned that door. Hopefully her van is a little cleaner. 

[Mkay]

Did Dad live in the basement of the rental house she had with her secret boyfriend OR did he live in the basement of the house her and Jeremy originally had before they bought the trailer?

[lovesnark]

6 minutes ago, Mkay said:

Did Dad live in the basement of the rental house she had with her secret boyfriend OR did he live in the basement of the house her and Jeremy originally had before they bought the trailer?

From the clip, it looks like the house she rented. The one of the secret boyfriend and the hoarders style garage. 

[teapot]

18 hours ago, lovesnark said:

From the clip, it looks like the house she rented. The one of the secret boyfriend and the hoarders style garage. 

I wonder why she gets so much more privacy regarding what is aired than the others!!

We even saw Queen Farrah's trash bag luggage at her dad's house!