Anthony Bourdain’s Ex-Girlfriend Breaks Silence With Message About Depression

In the wake of his death, Anthony Bourdain’s ex-girlfriend has shed some light on depression, medication and her ex’s struggles.

Paula Froelich dated Bourdain for a few months at the beginning of 2005, according to a report by Yahoo. She was once the editor-in-chief of travel at Yahoo Travel, and spent lots of time with Bourdain before his second marriage.

On Friday, she posted a touching photo of the two together. “To a good man, a great friend, a loyal love,” she wrote. “That’s all I’m going to say.”

However, that evening she shared some more thoughts in a Twitter thread. It covered depression, medication and the professional hazards of working in travel journalism.

“Here’s the thing about depression: it’s a sneaky little, sticky B—,” Froelich began. “You can be rich as hell, totally successful but still lonely [as f—] and the ‘you’re nothing but a fraud’ voice only goes away when the ambien takes effect.”

Froelich continued addressing the fraud complex. She did not specifically name Bourdain in her tweets, though many assumed that that’s what prompted her writing.

“The problem with that is ambien makes the harsh voice louder in the morning. And there’s only a few you can talk to about it – but even then sparingly because it just gets OLD, doesn’t it? And you become the sad sack … even though you’re normally so FUN,” she wrote.

“And it can take a village of pills, shrinks, empathetic friends, neighbors, to pull you out of a slump – and guess what?!” she continued. “You’re not manic, or some other couch shrink diagnosis you just have. Regular old depression.”

Froelich sadly informed her followers that she does not believe there is “some magic pill” that can solve any mental health problem. She wrote that people get trapped in a “cycle” of depression because it is “terrifying. And embarrassing. And humiliating — because there’s something wrong with you.”

“But take heart in knowing: only the best, funniest, loveliest, most empathetic, wonderful, talented people have depression,” she finished. “You’re in a good crowd. Now. Let’s go fight that black dog. Together.”

Bourdain was found dead in his hotel room in France on Friday morning. His passing was investigated to have been a suicide. Throughout the day, many other people addressed the daily internal war of depression on social media.

If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).