Heavy/ABC Katie Thurston and Blake Moynes were briefly engaged.
Former “The Bachelorette” star Katie Thurston is opening up about some personal struggles she has been navigating. She promised to explain in additional detail at some point when she feels ready. For now, though, the small bit that she did share gave fans some valuable insight.
According to Thurston, she recently found herself struggling with acute stress disorder. The disorder prompted her to step away from both social media and all professional commitments she had on her calendar for a bit.
Thurston’s initial announcement about taking a break was sudden and left many of her fans feeling concerned. More recent updates, however, suggest she is doing somewhat better.
Here’s what you need to know:
Katie Thurston Abruptly Canceled Scheduled Events
On November 17, “The Bachelorette” star shared a message via her Instagram Stories. “Due to unforeseen circumstances, the remainder of my November appearances and interviews have been postponed until further notice,” Thurston noted. She continued, “Sorry for the inconvenience and I look forward to seeing you all again soon.”
At the time of her announcement, Thurston had several comedy shows scheduled throughout San Diego, California, where she has been living.
Bachelor Nation fans took to Reddit to speculate about the issue that prompted Thurston’s decision.
“This sounds like someone (or pet) is sick. Could be me projecting but that’s one of the few reasons I’d cancel everything and also not share why. I hope this isn’t the case though,” one Redditor suggested.
Some people worried that something had happened with her cat Tommy, and others wondered if Thurston was ill. A few suggested the issues were related to her contract with “The Bachelor” franchise. Another potential issue was that something happened related to either her season 9 “Bachelor in Paradise” appearance or her experience with season 3 of “FBoy Island.”
At the time, Thurston provided no additional context. On December 9, the former “Bachelorette” answered some fan questions in her Instagram Stories.
One person asked, “Where did you disappear to?” Thurston responded, “I was experiencing something called Acute Stress Disorder and stepped away.”
Acute Stress Disorder Can Develop After a Traumatic Event
According to the Cleveland Clinic, acute stress disorder “can happen within a month of experiencing a traumatic event, like a natural disaster or assault.” The clinic noted, “It’s closely related to post-traumatic stress disorder.”
The primary treatment for acute stress disorder is talk therapy. Those experiencing the disorder may feel anxiety, fear, and feelings of helplessness, and might avoid anything that provides a reminder of the earlier traumatic event.
A number of different experiences can cause acute stress disorder. The Cleveland Clinic indicates the disorder can come as a result of verbal abuse, physical assault, or sexual assault, as well as experiences such as serious accidents, illnesses, or natural disasters.
To be considered acute stress disorder, the issues last between a few days to four weeks after the initial traumatic event. If the reactions last longer than that, the person experiencing the issues may then have post-traumatic stress disorder.
Thurston noted in her Instagram Story about her experience, “When the time is right, I’ll share my story.” “The Bachelorette” star added she was “Thankful for those close to me who continue to help me navigate everything.”
Her post about acute stress disorder was posted the day after the “FBoy Island” finale aired. Thurston later hinted she was no longer with her pick, Vince Xu, and he subsequently confirmed it via his Instagram Stories.
The timing prompted some fans to wonder if something traumatic about her split with Xu and her previous “Bachelorette” related failed relationships sparked the stress disorder.
While she was “The Bachelorette,” she experienced her frontrunner Greg Grippo leaving the show after an emotional confrontation. Thurston got engaged to Blake Moynes at her final rose ceremony, but the engagement did not last long. She subsequently dated another contestant from her season, John Hersey, but that relationship ended too.
“I wonder if any of it could be related at all to her FBoy island experience,” one Redditor suggested.
“Maybe if it didn’t work out recently with this new guy it really triggered her and brought her back to how she felt about the whole Greg/Blake/John mess,” another poster mentioned.
“Oh my. Hope she is recovering and can take the time to heal,” a concerned fan wrote.
“Oh damn, that’s awful. I hope she’s okay,” someone else added.
On December 13, Thurston added a very brief update via another Instagram Story. “Happy and healing,” she wrote over a video that showed her bundled up and walking along the beach. She was smiling and carrying a cup of coffee, seemingly getting some fresh air with a friend.