Milania Giudice has opened up about her mental health struggles, breaking her silence on what she described as “the worst time” of her life in an emotional new video.
The daughter of RHOJ star Teresa Giudice has faced several painful months, including a confrontation with her family at an airport and the death of her longtime friend, Victoria Zardoya.
Milania, 20, revealed that she has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, PTSD and ADHD. She is currently receiving care at a treatment center.
Speaking from the facility, Milania described the difficulty of dealing with personal struggles in the public eye, saying the events of the summer “hit me like a bus.”
“I was going to wait to make this video for like when I look good or whatever but honestly that’s just not me. I’m a very raw, true, authentic person and that’s who I’m going to continue to be,” Milania told her Instagram followers.
“Since I was a little kid, I told my family and my parents that I want to help people in life and that is what I want to do. I want to help people and I want to spread awareness and share my story the way I want it to be shared,” she said.
Milania Giudice has spoken publicly about her mental health struggles while describing the period as “the worst time of my life”; Source: Milania Giudice Instagram
“Social media is like an onion. You see layers of people’s lives and you guys quite frankly have been seeing the worst, worst times of my life and it has been the worst time of my life,” Milania said.
“I do struggle with mental health issues. I am bipolar, I struggle with depression, anxiety, PTSD and ADHD. And I am not ashamed of any of my mental health disorders because I’m currently in a treatment center, my mom’s actually on her way to come visit me today and I do work on myself but you know what, I am only 20 years old and this summer hit me like a bus.”
“A lot of things happened in a short amount of period of time and I’m trying to just process everything and it’s really hard being in the public light while you go through things in life. So I just want to say I’m sorry because I was grown up on pure respect, love and I just haven’t been showing the Milania that I want to show,” she said.
“And I want to do better and I’m going to continue working on myself and trying to completely change everything that I’ve been posting and everything because I want to help people in life. So I think that’s it for today.”
Milania is receiving professional treatment after a public incident at Tampa International Airport involving Teresa and her older sister, Gia.
Police were called after Milania reportedly “ran off” from her family and a counselor inside the terminal after being released from the hospital.
Bodycam footage obtained by TMZ showed Teresa telling officers that Milania allegedly had fentanyl in her system during an earlier incident. The incident occurred before Milania was hospitalized at a mental health facility under Florida’s Baker Act this month.
In the footage, Milania can be heard saying she had been “laced” with the drug, while Teresa repeatedly tells her that she is trying to “save her life.”
The daughter of RHOJ star Teresa Giudice, Milania has endured several difficult months; Teresa and Milania are pictured together in New Jersey in 2021
In a distressing new clip, Giudice appears to lash out at her mother and sister while police are present
Teresa addressed the incident in a statement, saying: “As a mother, there is nothing more important to me than the health, safety, and well-being of my children.”
“The past few months have been incredibly difficult for our family, and I feel it is important to say something while also protecting my daughter during an extremely vulnerable time in her life,” she added.
Teresa said Milania had experienced “tremendous heartbreak and significant psychological trauma” following the deaths of two of her best friends.
Milania has been mourning the loss of her childhood friend Victoria Zardoya, who suffered a ‘devastating fall’ on July 24 while exploring historic ruins in Florida. She died days later at age 20.
Milania, pictured far R, is the daughter of Teresa and Joe Giudice
Teresa continued: ‘Grief affects everyone differently, and watching your child try to process that kind of loss is something no parent can ever truly prepare for. Right now, my only focus is my daughter – making sure she is surrounded by love, family, support, and the care she needs.
‘I understand that because our family has lived much of our lives in the public eye, there will naturally be questions and speculation. But Milania is my daughter before she is anything else. She is a young woman going through an incredibly difficult and deeply personal time, and she deserves the opportunity to heal without every moment of her pain being analyzed publicly.’
Teresa then pleaded for ‘compassion and kindness,’ as well as ‘privacy,’ before thanking those who had reached out and sent well wishes.
In addition to Milania, Teresa shares daughters Gia, Gabriella and Audriana with ex-husband Joe Giudice.
The former couple was heavily featured on The Real Housewives of New Jersey, which covered the fraud conviction that sent them to prison.
It’s been a particularly turbulent year for Milania, who was arrested for alleged domestic violence in May.
In a report obtained by Our News Outlet, Milania ‘threw candles and food’ during the alleged incident at her mother’s New Jersey home before her sister Gabriella, 22, called 911 claiming her ‘sister was acting erratically.’
Milania and her siblings grew up on camera thanks to their parents starring roles on The Real Housewives of New Jersey
Milania was accused of ‘causing bodily injury’ and ‘simple assault’ following the alleged incident.
No weapons were involved and no injuries were reported, with Milania charged with one count of simple assault. The victim was never identified and Milania issued a not guilty plea.
She has not addressed the incident aside from a TikTok video posted in June, in which she said: ‘It is what it is. S*** happens in life. Just become a better person and talk about it.’
Milania’s manager and a longtime family friend, Maria DeSantis, recently confirmed that the reality star was getting professional care.
‘Milania is deeply loved by her family and friends, and all of us are doing everything we can to support her as she navigates an incredibly difficult time in her life, particularly following the devastating loss of her best friend, Victoria,’ DeSantis said.
‘She is currently surrounded by people who love her and is under the care of professionals who are working with her and her family,’ she continued.
‘Milania is a good-hearted and caring young woman who has been going through a very challenging period, and our focus right now is simply on her health, healing and well-being.
‘In time, she hopes that being open about her experiences may help other young people facing their own struggles, but for now, we ask for compassion and privacy as she and her family continue to navigate this together.’
Milania’s father, and Teresa’s ex-husband, Joe urged people to consider his daughter’s recent struggles before judging her in a statement to Page Six.
‘Milania is a good girl. She has a big heart, she loves deeply, and she cares enormously about the people in her life,’ he said.
‘She is also young and going through a very difficult period right now.’
