Jersey Shore star Vinny Guadagnino regrets temporarily leaving the show in the 2010s and views it as his way of “escaping.”
The reality television personality recounted his time on Jersey Shore on the Oct. 15 episode of Steve-O’s Wild Ride podcast and explained that his mental state had worsened due to non-stop partying and drinking on the show.
Around the 44-minute mark of the video below, Vinny said that he struggled with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) since childhood and was often “ruminating” and had “intrusive thoughts.” By adulthood, he wanted to feel “normal” among his Jersey Shore cast mates. Vinny briefly left the show during season five in 2012, citing his struggles with anxiety.
“I did leave at that point because I didn't know how to like deal with it anymore,” Vinny said. “But now looking back on it, now that like I'm in therapy and everything and I've learned a lot about OCD and stuff, leaving is probably like the worst thing that you could do. Because you're escaping.”
Vinny went on to describe the avoidance as “running away,” but admitted that it was “tough” to continue on the show. He would ultimately return to the show just days after his departure and has also starred on spinoffs A Double Shot at Love and Jersey Shore: Family Vacation.
“The physicality of the show is grueling. There's no day, there's no second off, from the moment you wake up ‘til you go to sleep, you're drinking and you're partying and shit,” he continued. “So it wasn't the greatest environment for me to be in. It triggered a lot of that kind of stuff, but they didn't understand.”
Vinny added that he’s learned to “roll with the discomfort” of depression and anxiety and “sit with it.”
In a 2020 episode of Click Bait with Bachelor Nation, Vinny joked that he had anxiety before the condition was popularized.
"I used to scream out that I was having anxiety and everyone kind of looked at me funny, like, 'What's wrong with this kid?' But now there's a lot more awareness behind it and a lot of people are talking about it,” he said, per People.
