Teen Mom: The Next Chapter follows the lives of former cast members of Teen Mom OG and Teen Mom 2 as they deal with parenthood at various stages in their lives. Part of the speculation as to why Amber Portwood has been seen and heard from minimally has surrounded her mental health. As Gary said, “A person with bipolar disorder, there’s ups and downs." He believed that this was partially to blame for the mother and daughter's estrangement.
Amber Portwood Lies To Get Out of Filming
As Gary Shirley discussed the distance that he's felt from Amber Portwood, the show's producers soon came into focus as they brought a camera crew to Portwood's house to film with her. It was at that moment that Amber shared that she asked for a pregnancy test from a Teen Mom: The Next Chapter producer and to postpone filming. Why the scare? She revealed, "It was an ex. I’m freaking out right now. I’m scared. Just pray for me that I wasn’t too much of a jackass.”
She later confirmed that she found herself in a dark place following the dramatic split from Gary Wayt, also referred to as "Gary 2.0." She said, “I’m f**ked up from what he did to me. We’re talking trauma. Being told you’re a murderer and thinking your fiancé is dead. I did not sleep for four days. I did not eat.” She seemed hopeful that a reconciliation with her daughter could happen when she leaves her dark place. Acknowledging that she did not know what the future would bring between herself, her daughter, and her son, who she shares with Andrew Glennon, she stated, "I've never been a mom that didn't care. Just a f-ed up mom."
