Tamar Braxton has spoken out, nearly two weeks after she was hospitalized for a suicide attempt.
The Braxton Family Values star, who has reportedly been being treated at a facility specializing in mental health issues and other traumas, released a lengthy statement on Instagram on Thursday. The statement confirmed the legitimacy of several stories that have been circulating about her in the press over the past few weeks, including that she tried to end her life and that she had sent communication to WEtv in the weeks before the incident, asking to be freed from her obligations to the network and stating that WEtv had destroyed her family.
The statement, which was made in the caption of a photo Tamar posted of her and her son, also talked about the exploitation Tamar felt she has been subjected to.
At one point, she writes, “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. My cry for help went totally ignored. However the demands persisted.”
In another part, Tamar vows to help other reality TV stars— particularly minorities— have more control over how they’re compensated for and portrayed in their reality TV work.
The statement is as follows:
First and foremost, Thank you.
Thank you to each and every individual who has prayed for me, thought of me, sent me their love and has showered me with their support. In this present moment, it is my only responsibility to be real with myself and to be real with the ones who truly love me and care for my healing. 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.
Every one of us has a desire, whether small or big, to make it out of where we come from to an ideal future place that includes, freedom to be who we choose, security for our children and families, and fortune to share with the ones we love. We believe these things can co-exist with just being happy. I believed that, that as a black woman, as an artist, an influence, a personality I could shape my world, and with whom I believed to be my partners, they could help me share my world.
Over the past 11 years there were promises made to protect and portray my story, with the authenticity and honesty I gave. 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. My cry for help went totally ignored. However the demands persisted. It was my spirit, and my soul that was tainted the most. 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. Who I was, begun to mean little to nothing, 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.
Mental illness is real. We have to normalize acknowledging it and stop associating it with shame and humiliation. The pain that I have experienced over the past 11 years has slowly ate away at my spirit and my mental. I will do everything in my power to aid those who from mental illness, including those of us who’s mental illness was only a result of the toxic, systematic bondage that dwells television. 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.
It is only your prayers that have pushed me to rise above my own personal demise, pushed me to not only continue the fight for the freedom of my own thoughts, mind and soul, but to also use my voice and experience to be an ally for every black and brown person who has suffered from the continued exploitation of reality TV. Reality TV personalities have no union, no coat of protection, no formal representation that protects our labor, our rights or our voices. The promise us opportunity but produce explotation, which has only developed a poor portrayal of Black people in show business.
I’m learning to grow through my pain instead of looking for an escape. I’m on a irreversible path to healing. I am taking my time. It is of the utmost importance that I find my happy and my health, through professional treatment, for the sake of my whole heart, Logan, who I forgot in my moment of distress and desperation.
And giving this journey my undivided attention. My rise will not be in vain. I will make it my mission to establish the initiative that fights for ethical business practices in reality TV, fights for the ownership of our businesses, promote growth and evolution of our stories, and gives us 100% equity in our freedom.
My love for my support system and everyone who chose to love me when I no longer loved myself is infinite and I am forever grateful. I pray you will stand with me and be courageous enough to share your own truth. With love, Tamar Braxton.
Tamar did not specifically state that she was through with reality TV, though. Her most-recent show, Tamar Get Ya Life— which was originally due to premiere at the end of this month— will now premiere in September, according to a statement released by WEtv earlier this week.
In the statement, the network expressed concern for Tamar’s recovery and well-being.
“Tamar Braxton has been an incredibly important member of the WE tv family for more than a decade, and our first concern is for her recovery and well-being,” the network’s statement reads. “Given the current situation, we are postponing the premiere of ‘Tamar Braxton: Get Ya Life!’ until September 10.
“This series was conceived by Tamar and is a real portrait of a dynamic woman juggling the demands of being a single mother, a new relationship and her career. We know, when the time is right, Tamar’s fans will relate to seeing this honest portrait of her life, but – at this moment – we are joining with her fans and sending strength and healing in the hope that she is getting the support and help she needs at this difficult time.”
Tamar and her boyfriend, David Adefeso, were reportedly very unhappy with the footage of the show they have previewed.
WEtv has not commented on Tamar’s latest statement.
(Photos: David Livingston/Getty Images; Instagram)
Clearly she is having issues, whatever the root cause may be, you were not and are not forced to participate in these shows. The paycheck is great, I am sure as is the exposure, but you cannot pick and choose; you cannot decide what is revealed. I hope that you the help you need but STOP blaming a situation that you have willingly put yourself and your entire family into for the last decade or more. v
i never watched her show but hasnt it been on for years? Did the abuse just start or was it just a long contract over several years?
I have never seen her shows, tbh. But, from what the Ashley & other sites have reported Tamar experienced a rape that she did not want aired and they aired it without her consent. If that’s the case, that’s absolutely disgusting and vile! But, now it sounds like she’s complaining that she wasn’t get enough money and was overworked so I’m a bit confused.
Is this family only famous because of Toni??
Yep, that’s the only reason. I’m not sure why there was a whole show about them anyway or a separate show about Tamar. I’m not super familiar with any of them other than Toni and I think there was one other sister that was on a show with Iyanla Vanzant called Starting over years ago.
I think I would take a step back from all social media and concentrate on getting my mental health better.