Why Ireland Baldwin Is In Rehab

Ireland Baldwin is an advocate for taking control of your own life, which she proved rather epically on Monday with just a few tweets. Apparently, Baldwin checked herself into rehab for emotional trauma, but was not able to escape the immediate association between rehab and substance abuse. When reports began to surface that it was her alleged partying ways that had led to her rehab stint, Baldwin took to Twitter in order to dispel the rumors in the most wonderfully sarcastic, yet perfectly honest, way possible. Whether you love her because of her famous father, love her because you, like me, think Baldwin and Angel Haze's relationship is adorable, or love her because of her work as a model and actress, get ready to add one more reason to the list.

"Apparently I'm in rehab for intensive partying soooo I'm just going to lay pretty low for a bit and maybe get some frozen yogurt," the model began dryly on her Twitter Monday evening. "I checked myself into Soba for two weeks to just get away for a little bit. I'm not much a party cat but I am here deal with some emotional trauma and getting the intensive therapy I needed in order to recover."

Of course, Baldwin made this declaration in order to put an end to the speculation of exactly why she's in rehab, but it's no doubt going to kick up speculation on what emotional trauma she might possibly be suffering from. Is there trouble in paradise between her and Haze? Is it lingering, unresolved issues with her parents? Is it the trials and tribulations of being so famous at such a young age and having your every word and action scrutinized by an unforgiving public? The latter thing alone has been the downfall of many child stars, so it's refreshing to see that Baldwin is pre-empting herself from becoming one of them by checking herself into rehab at the first sign of emotional trouble of any kind.

In that way, she's normalizing an institution that too often has a stigma attached to it. Getting therapy, or checking yourself into rehab, does not automatically associate you with a partying lifestyle. It doesn't automatically mean that you hit the bottle too hard or that you're addicted to drugs — and there isn't any shame in getting yourself help for those or any other issues that might be weighing you down. I respect Baldwin's privacy in not wanting to open up about her personal problems during this tender, transitional time, but the fact that she clarified why she checked herself into rehab and didn't show even the slightest hint of shame about doing so is important. If she encourages even one person who needs help to check themselves into rehab, stigma or not, then her words will have had a larger impact than perhaps even she intended.