Duane Chapman Admits He’s Seeing ’Shrink’ After Beth’s Death
Duane "The Dog" Chapman has been working on his mental health following the tragic death of his wife, Beth Chapman.
On Thursday, December 26, the Bounty Hunter star 66, revealed to his social media followers that he has been going to therapy for half a year.
He posted a Native American style painting on his Instagram account and captioned the photo, "Going to my shrink for 6 months now ever since Beth left me I am not sure if it works let you know in another 6."
Duane's news comes after he spent his first Christmas without Beth, who passed away in June after a two-year battle with throat cancer. She was 51.
Ahead of the holiday, he opened up about his struggles preparing for the season in an exclusive interview with RadarOnline.com.
“I will be glad when this year over,” Duane told RadarOnline.com in a phone interview from his Colorado home. “I’m trying to hold the holiday traditions. Beth was very traditional, and I want to hold those traditions as we did when Beth was here.”
He also shared that when his wife was alive, it was “mandatory” for all the kids to spend the holidays with their parents, but everything would be different this year, as he would "mostly be alone."
During his talk with RadarOnline.com, Duane admitted he is “very lonely” and in his grief, has even been questioning whether or not heaven exists.
“Allegedly time heals all wounds, but if I start thinking about it, then I go back to the original. I used to think for sure there is a heaven. I’m not sure anymore. If there was, Beth would talk to God to letting her come back for just a minute,” he said. “And so I know there is a God for sure. But I don’t know about heaven. I hope to God there is and I can see her again. I’m going through that right now.”
After Beth’s passing, Duane lost a great deal of weight and was hospitalized after experiencing chest pains.
Following his health crisis, he revealed that he suffered from a pulmonary embolism in the heart, a “life-threatening” condition in which one or more arteries are blocked by blood.
Now, Duane — who admitted he is “afraid to die” —has reportedly started living a healthier lifestyle since losing his wife. The star is on blood thinners, has been following a healthy diet and is trying to kick his smoking habit.