Tom Sandoval is opening up about his turbulent year and mental health struggles following his heavily-publicized affair with Vanderpump Rules co-star Raquel Leviss.
WARNING: Story contains mentions of suicidal ideation.
During the first episode of the Bravo star’s new podcast, Everybody Loves Tom, Sandoval revealed he struggled with suicidal ideation amid the explosive cheating scandal dubbed “Scandoval.”
“There were some times where I felt very, very close [to suicide],” Sandoval said, revealing his darker thoughts began to have a “domino effect.”
“Your world just starts collapsing itself and you cannot see outside of your feelings. Your peripheral goes away. Your sense of thinking about future, about like, ‘Oh, come on,’ like, your ability to snap out of it goes away,” the reality TV star continued, according to Entertainment Tonight.
Sandoval also shared he has taken steps to better his mental health, such as quitting drinking and smoking cigarettes.
“I haven’t drank since — I believe it was April 4 or 5. I didn’t really tell a lot of people during the process. I think that kind of helps. I also quit smoking cigarettes. I was kind of at the point where I was just chain-smoking cigarettes all day, every day. Honestly, I think that, you know, quitting the drinking and going on tour like, it might have actually saved my life,” he revealed.
READ MORE: ‘Vanderpump Rules’ Star Ariana Madix Scores First Major TV Gig Following ‘Scandoval’
Sandoval began working with his ex-girlfriend and Vanderpump Rules co-star Ariana Madix in 2013. Their relationship was confirmed in 2014, according to Hollywood Life.
The couple were together for nine years prior to their breakup in March 2023. They split after Madix discovered inappropriate texts from Leviss on Sandoval’s phone. According to Hollywood Life, Sandoval and Leviss began their affair in 2022.
Following the public revelation of Sandoval and Leviss’ affair, Sandoval apologized to Madix in a public statement via his social media.
At the time, Leviss, who joined the cast of Vanderpump Rules in 2016 when she was dating co-star James Kennedy, shared her own statement to Entertainment Tonight, revealing she started therapy to end her “unhealthy behavioral cycle” and “protect” her mental health.
According to Page Six, Sandoval and Leviss stopped seeing each other in May 2023.
If you or someone you know needs help, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1 800-273-TALK (8255).
Celebrity Couples Whose Breakups Broke Our Hearts
Here are 25 iconic celebrity couples that definitely made us shed a tear when they went their separate ways.
Gallery Credit: Michele Bird