If you watch Teen Mom 2 online, then you"re likely aware of Leah Messer"s past struggles with substance abuse.
Leah checked into rehab in 2015, and while the decision to seek treatment came on the heels of a very public struggle with prescription pill addiction, Messer insists the two developments are unrelated.
In fact, despite footage that seems to indicate otherwise, Leah says she was never addicted to drugs.
Fans of the show beg to differ, and many have taken to social media to plead with Leah to be more straightforward about her past.
Here"s a rundown of the situation:
1. Leah Messer: Victim of a Public Health Crisis?
Leah lives in the heart of coal country, an area that’s been ravaged by opioid addiction in recent years. Many fans believe she fell victim to this modern plague, but is unwilling to publicly admit to her struggles.
2. Leah’s Rock Bottom?
In one harrowing scene that was captured by Teen Mom 2 cameras, Leah passed out while sitting up and holding a friend’s baby. Many believe it was the rock bottom that convinced her to get help.
3. Leah Seeks Treatment
Not long after that incident, Leah checked into an in-patient treatment facility. Strangely, however, she still refused to admit that she’d been struggling with substance abuse.
4. Drugs, Depression, or Both?
Leah says she was struggling with a number of emotional issues, such as anxiety and depression. She does not, however, admit to using prescription drugs to self-medicate.
5. A Difficult Time
All of this occurred during an incredibly tumultuous time in Leah’s life. When she checked into rehab, Messer was in the midst of a divorce from her second husband, Jeremy Calvert, and a custody battle with her first husband, Corey Simms.
6. Perpetuating the Stigma
Some fans feel that by refusing to admit she briefly struggled with substance abuse, Leah is perpetuating a harmful stigma and passing up the opportunity to spark a meaningful conversation about a deadly epidemic.