"I cut my hair by myself after I got cheated on": Valkyrae opens up about her self-harm when her ex-boyfriend betrayed her

"The Family Plan" World Premiere - Source: Getty
"The Family Plan" World Premiere - Source: Getty

Recently, Rachel “Valkyrae” Hofstetter, one of the leading female streamers in gaming, revealed a shocking story from her past.

During an episode of the Press ESC podcast, she recalled how, in her teenage years, she battled an emotional breakdown due to her ex-boyfriend cheating on her. This candid discussion offered insight into the pain that comes with betrayal, toxic relationships, and the healing process after perpetrators inflict so much damage.

She said -

"I cut my hair by myself after I got cheated on like my senior in high school."

A betrayal of heartbreaking proportions

Valkyrae reflected upon a moment in her life when she was in her senior year of high school, and her boyfriend decided to cheat on her. The most shocking part of this revelation was how she received it. While her ex was out, his past partner approached Valkyrae and revealed that they had been in a relationship for some time, and, in addition, was pregnant with his child.

"Long story short, he dated a girl. They broke up. He started dating me. She comes over to my place while he is gone, confesses to me that they've been hooking up the whole time, and that she is pregnant. Apparently, she had a miscarriage, so she never showed any symptoms of being pregnant. He said he had to keep staying with her or else he couldn't be in baby's life."

After this incident, instead of confronting her boyfriend, she found herself dealing with overwhelming sadness, self-doubt and confusion.

Valkyrae Source: Getty Photo by Rodin Eckenroth
Valkyrae Source: Getty Photo by Rodin Eckenroth

The suffering resulting from staying in a toxic relationship

Even with the extensive cheating, Valkyrae confessed that she chose to be with her boyfriend because she accepted his excuses and explanations. Now, she understands that she was young and ignorant, but at that point, she desperately wanted to make the relationship work.

"Obviously, me being dumb, young, and stupid, I believed him. And so... I ended up getting back with him after."

She further elaborated on the impact of that toxic relationship and said:

"I was so sad and depressed with that relationship. He cheated on me with his ex. He lied to me about everything. She came to me when he was on a camping trip and said that she was pregnant with his kid. I am having a mental breakdown for a week."

This shows how damaging relationships can be and how deeply they can affect emotional well-being to the point where an individual feels forced and helpless.

"The Family Plan" World Premiere - Source: Getty Photo by Gabe Ginsberg
"The Family Plan" World Premiere - Source: Getty Photo by Gabe Ginsberg

Lessons learned for the future

Today, Valkyrae reflects on her experience from a completely different viewpoint, one that is more conciliating. While she wishes she never got back together with her ex, she is well aware that all the events in her life have shaped who she is now.

"If I could've gone back, I definitely wouldn't have gone back to him. But, would I be where I am today, if I never got back with him? I don't think so."

Her experience reminds us that people can make transformations through processes. However, challenging such change might feel. Today, Valkyrae's resilience, alongside her success, serves as the epitome of proof that healing after emotional turmoil is extremely difficult but very much possible.

Off Court At The 2019 Australian Open - Source: Getty Photo by Matt King
Off Court At The 2019 Australian Open - Source: Getty Photo by Matt King

Emotions and struggles

This is not the first time Valkyrae has spoken about such mental struggles relating to toxic relationships. In previous interviews and even on her livestreams, people could find her candidly discussing episodes of her life where she felt constricted to the borders of self-harm and self-placed suffering.

Willing to share their truths, her fans, as many as there might be, stand inspired to act, transforming their hiding into healing. Her honesty regarding these issues surely assists in the abolition of judgments about mental health.

The legion of her fans not only surrender themselves as true followers of the multi-channel content producer but give recognition to someone who faced harsh emotional damage and the dismantling of happiness only to go through several stages of healing and reconstruction, resulting in gaining stability and a much healthier self-image.

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Final observations

The tale of Valkyrae encapsulates heartbreak, self-discovery, and the beauty of resilience. By bringing to light her tragic experiences, she encourages those afflicted by toxic relationships and emotional wounds. Her journey stands testament to everyone that irrespective of how dark the past is, there will always be a path that leads toward happiness.

While Valkyrae is an inspiration to millions because of her content, her candidness with her personal struggles makes her more relatable and admirable. Her life is a strong testimony to the fact that pain is temporary, but the strength she gained from overcoming pain is eternal.

Let us know in the comments below what you think of all this.

Edited by Debanjana
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