’90s TV Icon Jennie Garth is speaking with rare honesty about one of the most painful chapters of her life following her 2012 split from Peter Facinelli. During a recent appearance on the “Armchair Expert” podcast with Dax Shepard, Garth reflected on the overwhelming emotions she faced as her marriage came to an end.
Getty“I just didn’t know how to cope with all the feelings and all the responsibility that I suddenly felt,” she said. “I was broken. I didn’t know how to be alone and deal with it all.”
Reliance on Medication and Alcohol Led to a Breaking Point
As she tried to make sense of the separation, Garth said she found herself leaning on medication and alcohol just to get through each day. What began as a way to cope soon blurred into a period she now struggles to remember fully.
As per People, she said: “I have no idea [what happened in] that era of my life. I just remember being prodded out of bed. I would take the girls to school. I would go back to bed and then the crew [for her reality show] would show up, and I would be like, I can’t get up.”
GettyHer lowest point came soon after Facinelli told her he wanted a divorce. Alone in a hotel room, she said she reached a breaking point, trying to quiet the emotional pain that had become overwhelming.
“Chug. Just stop this pain,” she recalled, as per People.
“Mix with medication that I’ve been given for flying purposes. People really like to give people medication … I blacked out. I passed out on the floor, and I had my best friend on the phone with me, I think, while that was happening. So she knew I was in danger.”
‘I Could Have Died’: Jennie Garth Reflects on Shame and Motherhood
GettyWhen Garth regained consciousness, she found herself in a hospital bed, trying to make sense of a moment that felt both distant and overwhelming.
“I’m looking at my assistant and whiteness and doctors, and everything’s very fuzzy,” she said. “It all came back to me. And all I wanted to do was kill the pain some more.”
As clarity returned, so did the emotional weight of what had happened. She said the experience left her with a profound sense of regret, especially in her role as a mother.
Getty“I think this shame really came from letting the girls down and from being a bad mom by letting myself go to that place,” she shared. “I could have died in that hotel room.”
Finding Healing and Reclaiming Her Life After the Crisis
In the weeks that followed, Garth chose to step away and focus on her recovery, turning to Canyon Ranch as a place to begin healing and regain a sense of stability. She later shared that protecting her children remained central to her decisions during that time.
“Because I didn’t want my kids to have to deal with that publicly.”
With time, Garth said she has been able to rebuild her life with greater awareness and care for herself. She and Facinelli have since found common ground as co-parents, prioritizing their daughters as they moved forward separately.
In her memoir “I Choose Me: Chasing Joy, Finding Purpose, and Embracing Reinvention,” released April 14, she reflected on how deeply that chapter affected her outlook.
“I spent a good amount of years being angry, hurt, sad, just tormented by it, and it eked out into all aspects of my life,” she said in a conversation with People.
“And I noticed my light really dimming. I noticed I wasn’t putting off good vibes. And I could see it in the mirror. I could look at the negative impact that that kind of grief and anger was having on me.”
The iconic star rose to fame as Kelly Taylor on the hit ’90s series “Beverly Hills, 90210,” becoming one of television’s most recognizable faces of the decade.
Looking back, Garth’s story shows a quiet kind of strength and how even the hardest moments can lead to healing, understanding, and a fresh start.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, help is available. Contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for free, confidential support, available 24/7.
