Tragic Details About Young And Restless Star Eileen Davidson's Life

The following article includes mentions of domestic abuse.

As successful as Eileen Davidson's life has been on-screen, it has not always been so glamorous off-screen. Beginning with a rough childhood, things continued to escalate. From her family's mental health struggles, to being a survivor of domestic abuse, Davidson has endured it all. Yet, despite everything she has been through, "The Young and Restless" star's able to talk about each one of these experiences with strength and vulnerability having faced them head-on. These tragic moments have transformed Davidson into the powerhouse woman she is today. 

Between reality television and soap operas, Davidson's on-screen lives are filled to the brim with drama. However, it was during her stint on "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" that she experienced some of the worst trauma off-screen. She has been completely open about her challenges, but many viewers might not realize the extent of what she has gone through.

The youngest of seven children, Eileen Davidson had a difficult time figuring out where she fit in. The biggest issue was that, according to Davidson, her father had undiagnosed bipolar disorder. Speaking with "General Hospital" star Maurice Benard on his podcast, "State Of Mind with Maurice Benard," Davidson recounted her childhood and how her father would walk past her as if she did not exist. "My father wouldn't, he would go in his room, and not talk to me, I was 8 years old at the time, for like six months," she explained to Benard. "He literally walked by me, came in the door, and walked by like I wasn't even there."

Davidson noted there was not much information surrounding what was then referred to as manic depression. "We didn't know back then, it was the 60s," she said. In fact, it wasn't until the 1980s that manic depression was changed to bipolar disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in an effort to ease the stigma around the illness. Davidson's mother would try to explain her father's erratic behavior, telling her, "Your dad, he fell off a horse when he was a kid, so maybe that's what's wrong." Sadly, she would lose her father when she was just 22 years old after he died from a heart attack.

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

Eileen Davidson continued to suffer in her adult life, as well, losing several loved ones. Her sister, brother, niece, husband's cousin and husband's father all died within 18 months of each other. She channeled her emotions into her appearances on "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," as well as her blog, where she shared her feelings and wrote about her family.

In January 2016, she wrote on her Bravo TV blog, "I promise this is the last episode where I'm crying. OK, I can't promise that. The last year and a half has been especially rough with the death of my sister, my niece, Vincent's cousin (who was, for all intents and purposes, another brother to him), and Vincent's dad. I'm not always so emotional, but I do feel like I've been wearing my heart on my sleeve." It was announced that her husband's father, Dick Van Patten, had passed away due to complications from diabetes.

Just a short month later, in February, the star announced to Bravo TV that her big brother, John "Jack" Davidson, had died. "I'm here with a very heavy heart to share the news of another beloved family member passing away. Sadly, my eldest brother, John 'Jack' Davidson, left us suddenly last week at the age of 69." Still, the actor continues to move forward in life, remembering her beloved family and staying resilient in the face of adversity.

What fans may not know about Eileen Davidson is that she is a survivor of domestic abuse. Her troubling childhood led to  low self-esteem and believing, subconsciously, that she deserved to be mistreated. In her blog for "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills", Davidson revealed how she had been in two physically abusive relationships, "It can happen to anyone. I know, because I've been in two of them; once when I was a teenager, and again in my 20s." She has only spoken about her abusive relationships one other time in a magazine interview.

According to Bustle, one relationship got so bad for Davidson that at one point her ex broke her nose and the police were called before she finally left him for good. She knows that it can be hard for people to understand, continuing in her blog, "Maybe people might say I don't 'look like' or 'seem like' the kind of person that this could happen to. The truth is, there is no stereotypical victim."

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

During her stint on "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" Season 5, Brandi Glanville accused Eileen Davidson of being a home-wrecker. Glanville, after a few glasses of wine, poked at Davidson, asking, "He was married when you met him, right?" While it's true Davidson and Vincent Van Patten were both married to other people, they adamantly claim that they never engaged in anything and respected each other's marriage. It was only after they were both divorced that they got together. However, Radar Online claimed that, back in 2001, they were spotted together leaving for Las Vegas before Van Patten was divorced. 

Davidson politely responded to Glanville, saying, "We both were." She continued to clarify, "We weren't like, trying to get out of the marriage." The fiery moment exploded when Glanville threw a glass of wine across the table. Davidson looked back at the moment during an interview on "Life After Bravo," saying, "I was very upset by that because it just felt like, wow, this is some crazy s**t." 

Despite Glanville's outburst, Davidson believes the series helped strengthen her marriage. During an interview with OK!, the actor explained, "The show is actually really good for my marriage because I appreciate him so much going through all these ups and downs with the ladies. In our instance, it's making our marriage stronger." Resilient as ever, Davidson continues to power through and serve as an example for everyone.