Jax Taylor is opening up like never before, and he’s not holding back about what he believes could have changed everything with respect to his split with Brittany Cartwright, his bipolar diagnosis.
The 45-year-old reality star says if he had gotten the help he needed earlier, his marriage to Brittany Cartwright might still be intact. Speaking on his podcast In the Mind of Jax Taylor, he admitted this was the first time in his life he had to truly ask for help. “I just couldn’t do it anymore,” he said. “I surrendered.” That moment led to his bipolar diagnosis, and for Jax, it was life-changing.
Since getting diagnosed in September 2024, Jax Taylor has been on Lamotrigine, a mood stabilizer that he claims has transformed his daily life. “I’m on it, and I absolutely love it,” he said. He’s religious about taking it too, saying he never misses a day and only wishes he had started sooner. In his words, “I wish I would’ve took it sooner. Probably would’ve saved my marriage.”
The former Vanderpump Rules star shares a 4-year-old son, Cruz, with Brittany. While the diagnosis came late, Jax’s mental health struggles were nothing new. On another podcast, Hot Mic, he revealed a 20+ year battle with cocaine addiction. “It’s hard to say out loud,” he admitted, sharing how he’s been dealing with substance issues since his early twenties. “There were times I would stop, then times I’d go heavy.” He called addiction a “really tough disease,” finally acknowledging the toll it’s taken on his life and relationships.
As for Brittany, she hasn’t been silent. On When Reality Hits, she got honest about her years trying to support Jax. “No one wants Jax to be better more than I do,” she said. “I tried and tried and tried for years to help this man get better… I was deeply and madly in love with him.” Even though their relationship ended in 2024, it’s clear that love was never the issue, timing and mental health support were.
Now, with Jax Taylor’s bipolar diagnosis in the open and it being the main reason for his split with Brittany Cartwright, he seems committed to healing. But it’s also a bittersweet chapter, as he looks back wondering what could’ve been if he’d gotten help just a little sooner.
