Tamar Braxton Breaks Her Silence After Attempting To ‘End’ Her Life: ‘My Cry For Help Went Ignored’
Tamar Braxton is speaking out after she was hospitalized in LA on July 16, for what she reveals was an attempt to ‘end’ her life. In a lengthy note, the singer opens up about mental illness, feeling ‘overworked’ and ‘underpaid.’
Tamar Braxton has broken her silence after she was hospitalized in mid-July for what she now says was an attempt to “end” her life. In a candid 2-page note on Instagram on July 30th — alongside a photo of her and son, Logan Herbert, 7 —the Grammy-winning singer, 43, thanked fans for their support. “I have without fail, shared with you my brightest days, and I know that sharing with you what has been my darkest will be the light for any man or woman who is feeling the same defeat I felt just only a week ago,” she wrote in part.
Though the reason for her hospitalization remained unclear prior to her posting, Tamar revealed that she made an ‘attempt’ to end her life with her statement. “It was only God’s grace and his mercy on my attempt to end my pain and my life that I am here to utilize my voice,” she wrote to her fans.
Tamar goes into detail in her post about what she was experiencing and dealing with before the July 16th events. “Over the past 11 years, there were promises made to protect and portray my story, with the authenticity and honesty I gave,” Tamar confessed. “I was betrayed, taken advantage of, overworked, and underpaid. I wrote a letter over 2 months ago, asking to be freed from what I believed was excessive and unfair. I explained in personal detail the demise I was experiencing,” she recalled.
Though never specifically naming the show or network, days before her hospitalization, Tamar took to Twitter to air her frustrations about equal pay in the reality television space. She replied to a fan on Twitter who claimed the Braxton Family Values cast should be “paid their worth.” In her reply, Tamar alleged that she, along with the rest of her famous family, aren’t paid even close to what the Kardashians are compensated for their hit reality show, Keeping Up With the Kardashians.
Unfortunately, Tamar claimed the aforementioned “letter” was ignored. “However ,the demands persisted. It was my spirit, and my soul that was tainted the most,” she admitted, adding, “There are a few things I count on most to be, a good mother, a good daughter, a good partner, a good sister, and a good person.”
Tamar goes on to confess that this personal struggle took its eventual toll on her. “Who I was, begun to mean little to nothing,” she wrote in the Instagram post, “because it would only be how I was portrayed on television that would matter. It was witnessing the slow death of the woman I became, that discouraged my will to fight. I felt like I was no longer living, I was existing for the purpose of a corporations gain and ratings, and that killed me,” Tamar confessed.
Finally, as Tamar addressed her ‘attempt’ on her life, she also spoke openly about her health. “Mental illness is real,” she wrote in the post, calling on fans to “normalize acknowledging it and stop illness, including those of us who’s mental illness was only a result of from the toxic, systemic bondage that dwells television.”
Now in recovery, Tamar says she’s “learning to grow through my own pain instead of looking for an escape.” The singer went on to admit that she’s taking her time “to find my happy and my health,” which she says is “through professional treatment.” Tamar also vowed to make it her “mission” to “establish the initiative that fights for ethical business practices in reality TV.”
Tamar’s statement comes after she was found unresponsive at the Ritz-Carlton Residences at LA Live on July 16. At the time, LAPD told HollywoodLife they answered a call at 9:45 pm, that was generated from the Ritz Carlton in Downtown Los Angeles for an individual with a “medical emergency.” Police added that the individual was transported from the Ritz Carlton. Though, authorities did not identify the individual in crisis.
Tamar was with her boyfriend, David Adefeso at the time of her distress, as heard in a 911 audio call obtained by HollywoodLife. David can be heard panicking on the call, telling a 911 dispatcher in part, that his girlfriend “has been drinking. She’s on medication for depression. I don’t know how much. She sent a letter earlier. Just ask them to hurry.”
Tamar’s sister Toni Braxton broke her silence about her younger sister’s hospitalization on July 29 — 13 days after Tamar’s medical emergency. Toni took to her Instagram account and shared a throwback photo that showed all of the Braxton sisters together. “Family is everything! Especially sisters!” Toni wrote alongside the photo.
At the time the news broke, WEtv, the network that airs numerous shows Tamar stars in, tweeted its support for the singer. Braxton Family Values also shared the same statement on Twitter. Additionally, Tamar’s family, including sisters Traci and Towanda Braxton asked for prayers at the time of her hospitalization. Additionally, Tamar’s former The Real cohost, Adrienne Bailon asked for prayers for her friend in a candid video on July 21.
If you are in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.