Colton Haynes has vowed to let his fans in on his "truth".
The 31-year-old actor revealed earlier this year he was six months sober after having completed a four-month treatment program following a seven-day drugs and alcohol binge brought on by the death of his mother Dana Denise Mitchell, and his split from estranged husband Jeff Leatham.
And in a new Instagram post on Monday (19.08.19), the ‘Arrow’ star admitted he no longer wants his online presence to be "curated", as he wants to remain as true to himself as possible both on social media and in real life.
Posting throwback photos to his time in hospital last year, he wrote: "Throwback. I don’t want worrying about if I look hot or not on Instagram to be my legacy. I don’t want to skirt around the truth to please other people or to gain economic success. I have far more important things to say than what magazine I just shot for or what TV show I’m a part of (Although I’m very thankful I still get to do what I love).
"I no longer want to project a curated life. I get immense joy when someone comes up to me & says that my willingness to open up about depression, anxiety, alcoholism, & addiction has helped them in some way. I’ve struggled the past year with trying to find my voice and where I fit in & that has been the most beautiful struggle I’ve ever had to go through. Worrying about what time to post on social media so I can maximize my likes or being mad at myself that I don’t look the same way I did when I was addicted to pills is a complete waste of why I was put on this earth.
"I’m posting these photos to let y’all in on my truth," he concluded. "I’m so grateful to be where I am now (a year after these photos were taken) but man these times were dark. I’m a human being with flaws just like you. If [you’re] in the middle of the dark times…I promise you it doesn’t have to last forever. Love y’all. (sic)"
In March, the ‘Teen Wolf’ actor revealed he had been battling addiction for the past decade, but admitted his "downward spiral" truly started after he came out as gay in 2016.
He said: "I got married and that didn’t work out. That was extremely public and heart-breaking, and right when that was going on, my mom died. I got so heavily involved with drugs and alcohol to mask the pain I was feeling that I couldn’t even make some decisions for myself. I was drowning in my own shit."
Colton then told of a time last year when he locked himself in a hotel room for seven days, and ended up in hospital.
He explained: "I locked myself in a hotel room at the Waldorf Astoria in Beverly Hills for seven days and was found in my room with these bruises all over my body. It looked as if somebody had beaten the s**t out of me. I couldn’t walk, so I was falling everywhere.
"I almost ruptured my kidney; ended up in the hospital, ended up on 5150 [a temporary and involuntary] psyche hold. I was on such a destructive path that I could not function."
Colton Haynes vows to tell his ‘truth’ on social media
