Country singer LeAnn Rimes has shared a lot of her life with her fans, and she's definitely experienced a lot. In 2020, she opened up about her decades-long mental health struggle with anxiety and depression, and the toll it's taken on her marriage.
LeAnn has also entered month-long programs at mental health facilities twice. The first time was when she was a teenager, and she was voluntarily admitted again just before her 30th birthday.
She discussed her last stay. "At one point, there was such a weight on my marriage. Eddie and my friends and those close to me experienced pain through my eyes," she said. "They weren’t exempt from it." She also added that she realized she was relying on her husband and her family to help her be healthy. "When we’re in our own world and in our depression and anxiety, it can be very isolating, and a very self-absorbed situation. I had a lot of co-dependency. My first night in treatment was the first night I’d ever been alone. There was a lot of healing to do."
LeAnn believes that many of her mental health struggles stem from the divorce of her parents when she was a child, as well as her own 2010 divorce. She and her ex-husband, Dean Sheremet, got married when they were 19 and 21. They ended up separating amid rumors that LeAnn was having an affair with actor Eddie Cibrian, whom she is now married to.
At the time, the split shocked many. The couple's official statement read, "After much thoughtful mutual consideration, Dean and I have agreed to move forward with dissolving our marriage. This decision was amicable and we remain committed and caring friends with great admiration for one another. Thank you so much for all of your continued love and support – it is deeply appreciated."
The divorce was also painful for LeAnn, because she and her ex really grew up together. Her friend Jeff Berger explained, "Dean’s her best friend and that’s the crux of the issue; when you love and care about somebody who’s your best friend — how not to cause them pain. Le and Dean are both great people and, unfortunately, going through a tough situation. But they’re doing what needs to be done in as amicable a way as possible."
LeAnn has also said that the public shaming she felt subjected to after her affair came to light is what led to her 30-day stay at the facility. "There was something in the press every week that was just so fabricated. Obviously there are mistakes that I take great responsibility for. But my whole life I had cared what everyone thought of me. So the public shaming was a deep thing that I took on."
But now, she says that she's doing a lot better. "I know who I am now. And I try to keep things in perspective. The need for other's approval has changed big-time. Self-worth is key."
She also values the lessons she has learned. "I know I can get myself out of it. Everything I have gone through has made me who I am, and I wouldn't trade that, at all."
Eddie was also married when he began a relationship with LeAnn. They met on the set of their film Northern Lights, and it sounds like they just couldn't help falling in love. They got engaged in 2009 and then married in April 2011. They don't have children together, but Eddie has two sons from his previous marriage.
LeAnn has previously said that she sometimes thinks about having children. "I get it every once in a while. I'm trying to figure out what it is that stirs it. I haven't figured that out yet, because every once in a while I'll be like, 'What is making me want a baby, like, right now?' I haven't figured that out yet, but it hasn't stuck. Maybe one day … I mean, I love my stepkids and I've got plenty on my plate with them. So, I'm cool at the moment."
Funnily, LeAnn and Eddie actually met years ago, when he was 23 and she was 14, but they don't remember it. LeAnn said, "There is a photo of it, clearly, and it is odd. We both were like, ‘Wait, what?’ I think he was 23, I was 14 at the time, and he was doing Young and the Restless. He found that right after we had worked together. He was just digging through some photos in his garage and found it."
Though they have been through plenty of ups and downs, it sounds like they're doing really well right now. LeAnn said, "By being able to care for my own body and not expecting Eddie to do it for me, we’ve been able to become better partners. Eddie is a rock. And we’re not so enmeshed. We can build our own selves up and I think that’s so important. We’re stronger than ever."
