Kaitlyn Bristowe Opens up About Shocking Weight Loss and Substance-Abuse Issues

In a deeply personal video, Kaitlyn Bristowe is opening up to fans about her past hardships, struggles with self-esteem issues, substance abuse, and more. 

The first episode of the former Bachelorette's new YouTube series, Nine and Wine, gave viewers an inside look at the 34-year-old's life before the popular reality series.

The TV personality revealed that before being cast on the ABC series, she was struggling with mental health issues and addicted to Valium, which led to Kaitlyn's shocking unhealthy weight loss.  

At the age of 27, Kaitlyn was living in Germany with her then-boyfriend, but the two ultimately split. She ended up living back with her mom and stepdad, saying, "I think I had out-of-body experiences in Germany. Where I was a child and I was screaming and kicking on the floor, bawling my eyes out. It was like I was looking down on myself, going, 'Why are you behaving this way?'"

Adding, "I was just a shell of myself."

Following her move home, Kaitlyn went through "dark times" and decided to seek help from a medical professional. A doctor prescribed her the antidepressant Valium and the reality star explained that she felt "numb" while taking the drug. 

"I didn't feel anything. I got to sleep, I got to not feel my feelings, and that felt great to me," she said. 

Kaitlyn explained that she became addicted to the prescription drug and weighed close to 90 pounds. "That was when somebody had to shake me and say, 'You can't live like this. This is not you,'" she said. "I couldn't live like that anymore." Eventually, the ABC star decided to turn her life around.

"I was sick of being numb. I wanted to feel feelings again. I wanted to go back to Vancouver and get a job and start over and meet people and get out. So I did," she told listeners. Adding, "I always think if I could go back to my 27-year-old self and talk to her, I would say, 'You can't let anyone be responsible for your own happiness. That is up to you.'" 

The Bachelor Nation star was eventually cast on Chris Soules' season, before becoming the Bachelorette and getting engaged to Shawn Booth. The couple split in 2018, and Kaitlyn is currently dating Bachelorette alum Jason Tartick. 

It's no surprise that many contestants on the hit ABC series who move on from the show and market themselves as social media influencers get a few tweaks done to their face. Since starring in Season 11 of The Bachelorette, fans have accused Kaitlyn of getting plastic surgery. So, did she?

Though she has not confirmed if she's received lip or cheek fillers, which has been speculated, the reality star did respond to the accusations on Snapchat, posting a photo of herself crying. She captioned the pic: "I’m crying. Not because people tell me I’m not beautiful anymore, say I get too much Botox, and ask wtf happened to my face. I’m crying because the world we live in makes me not want to bring beautiful innocent children into it. And that kills me.”

 Overall, whether Kaitlyn has or has not had plastic surgery, it's her business.