ENTERTAINMENTJennie Garth's Painful Past: Actress Reflects on Trauma, Sobriety and Self-Worth in Emotional New Memoir 'I Choose Me'
Jennie Garth opened up about trauma and sobriety in her new memoir.
April 12 2026, Published 7:28 a.m. ET
Jennie Garth is revisiting some of the most painful chapters of her life in her forthcoming memoir I Choose Me: Chasing Joy, Finding Purpose, and Embracing Reinvention.
The Beverly Hills, 90210 star, now 54, reveals a deeply personal journey shaped by divorce, miscarriages, addiction, and struggles with self-worth.
The title of her memoir comes from a line her iconic character Kelly Taylor once delivered to the two men battling for her affection, Dylan McKay (Luke Perry) and Brandon Walsh (Jason Priestley): “I choose me,” she said, walking away from both.
In an interview with People, Garth admitted she didn’t fully understand the feminist rallying cry at the time.
“Even though it took a while, I’m finally at a place comfortable choosing myself,” she told the outlet.
Fame, Anxiety and Isolation
The actress said fame triggered anxiety and self-doubt.
“It was like being in The Beatles,” Garth told People of the overwhelming nature of early fame following the runaway success of 90210. “There was no preparation for it. It was scary and unknown for all of us, and it was like sink or swim.”
The pressure fueled intense anxiety and led her to withdraw. At the same time, she grappled with imposter syndrome and body image issues, spending years being “so hard on myself.”
Personal Loss and Rock Bottom
She also reflected on her divorce from actor Peter Facinelli.
The memoir also details the emotional fallout of her 2012 divorce from actor Peter Facinelli after 17 years of marriage and three children together.
“I spent a good amount of years being hurt, sad, just tormented by it,” Garth says, describing how the grief seeped into every part of her life.
At her lowest point, a night of drinking and taking pills resulted in medical intervention, followed by time in rehab.
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Finding Sobriety and Letting Go
Jennie Garth described the moment she decided to forgive and let go.
“I noticed my light really dimming,” she explained of the moment she decided she had to forgive. “I wasn’t putting off good vibes. I could see it in the mirror. I could look at the negative impact that that kind of grief and anger was having on me.”
Today, she says she has found sobriety, stability, and a healthier relationship with both herself and her ex-husband. Her marriage to Dave Abrams also weathered challenges, including a temporary separation following the strain of IVF and miscarriages, but ultimately emerged stronger.
The Power — and Risk — of Sharing
The memoir marked a new chapter of her healing and self-acceptance.
“There are many benefits when public figures come forward with their struggles,” says licensed clinical social worker Shari Botwin, author of Thriving After Trauma and Stolen Childhoods. “It can be very validating for readers to hear that someone is struggling with similar feelings, thoughts or experiences when trying to heal.”
If someone speaks out before they “have had time to heal or digest their own feelings, that can then leave them feeling more shame, and overly exposed,” Botwin explains. Readers, too, may have “a strong emotional response and feel triggered” if they haven’t yet begun their own healing.
I Choose Me is currently available for preorder and will hit shelves on April 14.
