Courtney Stodden is only 23-years-old, but she's already been through more than some people her age ever will.
In 2011, Courtney eloped to Las Vegas and married her 50-year-old boyfriend, actor Doug Hutchinson. The couple first met during an internet-based acting workshop ran by Doug. They started dating, but their relationship was exclusively online for the first six months.
They eventually met in person and it didn't take long for Doug to learn about Courtney's real age. He almost ended the relationship, but according to sources close to the couple, Courtney's mom gave him her blessing as she was confident that her daughter will make the right choices as a "devout christian."
The first few years of their May-December romance was blissful. Courtney told Us Weekly that despite their age difference "Doug is wonderful."
"He picks up my coffee beans that I spill on the floor," she continued. "He picks up my foundation. He picks up my feathers from my big robe that I wear. My high heels are all over. I have a wonderful life, a wonderful husband."
However, that happiness was temporary and the couple went through a rocky patch, but it was nothing their 2014 vow renewal couldn't fix. In 2016, the couple announced that they were expecting their first child together, but sadly, Courtney suffered a miscarriage three months into her pregnancy.
The reality star opened up about her struggle with the "emotional loss" in an interview with Us Magazine.
"It's a bittersweet time for me right now. I'm dealing with a lot of stress and emotions surrounding life and its ups and downs," she told the magazine at the time. "Doug and I weren't planning on going public with this so soon. I'm only four weeks along in my pregnancy. But some things are out of your control."
The months following the loss of their unborn child continued to be very trying for the couple and in January 2017, it was reported that they have split after 6 years of marriage.
Courtney seemed to have bounced back when she was appeared on the latest season of Million Dollar Matchmaker. But despite the impression she was giving, Courtney was secretly fighting some inner demons.
The former child bride took to social media this week to reveal that she's been battling depression.
In addition to depression, Courtney admitted to struggling with anxiety issues, and she's sharing this information to let those in the same position know that they are not alone.
"I feel too much," Stodden wrote in the caption of a black-and-white photo of herself on Instagram. "I soak up too much energy from myself and others. I love too deeply. I'm extremely insecure. Terribly childlike and vulnerable. This is me and my struggle with depression."
Despite going through a dark period, Courtney reassures herself, her followers, and those battling depression that it's something that can be beaten.
"Depression is hard to kick," she wrote on the image. "But I'll get through it and so will you if you're a sufferer."
"But I have faith I'll prevail," she concluded the emotional caption. "If you're a sufferer of anxiety or depression "“ know that you aren't alone."
Courtney did not reveal what may have caused her to go into depression, but the pressure of a highly publicized and controversial relationship as well as the miscarriage may be contributing factors.
"I don't really like having regrets. I don't really want to live that way and harp on something I feel like I shouldn't have done," Stodden said earlier this year. "Yeah, I feel like [my marriage] affected me in ways. And they're playing themselves out now. I feel like I really didn't get a chance to do a lot of the things a normal 16-year-old ... ultimately 22-year-old girl experiences."
There hasn't been any updates on the status of Courtney and Doug's relationship since they became legally separated over a year ago. So it's unclear whether her estranged husband is around to support her during the hard times.
We're rooting for her!
