Valerie Bertinelli introduced her new boyfriend, Mike Goodnough, in April 2024
Valerie Bertinelli is stepping away from the spotlight, at least for now.
On Friday, the actress and former Food Network star announced her plans to take a social media break due to mental and emotional exhaustion and urged her followers not to "worry."
"The last six or so weeks have been…a LOT," she wrote on Instagram alongside a selfie. "And while I am incredibly grateful for all your support for my book and everyone I’ve had the good fortune to meet, this here introvert in extrovert’s clothing is in need of a mental health break."
VALERIE BERTINELLI MOVES ON WITH NEW BOYFRIEND AFTER DRAMATIC DIVORCE FROM EX-HUSBAND TOM VITALE
"I know, I know, this isn’t an airport, I don’t need to announce my departure. I just know how some of you worry about me if I don’t post often enough," she continued. "But, I’m good. Honest. Taking a little social media cleanse/detox and a mental health break is a good thing and I’m grateful I’m at a place in my life where I’m aware enough to know when I’m overwhelmed and mentally/emotionally exhausted."
"Y’all take care of yourselves," she concluded. "I’ll be back before you know it."
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The break comes nearly a month after Bertinelli introduced her new boyfriend, Mike Goodnough on social media.
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Bertinelli and Goodnough are in a long-distance relationship, with Goodnough living on the east coast as a writer, and Bertinelli residing in Los Angeles on the west coast.
Valerie Bertinelli introduced her new boyfriend, Mike Goodnough, in April. (Dominik Bindl/Getty Images/Hoarse Whisperer/Instagram)
The "Hot In Cleveland" actress first revealed she was in a new relationship in March. However, she kept his name private. The two went public with their relationship on social media on April 20, with Bertinelli posting a photo of them together, with the caption, "I’ll drink what you think and I’m high from smokin’ your jokes all damn night."
"It’s unlike any relationship that I’ve ever experienced with a man," she told USA Today in March, before explaining that she "wasn't expecting" to be in a relationship again after her divorce from Tom Vitale.
Prior to her marriage to Vitale, the "One Day at a Time" actress was married to musician Eddie Van Halen from 1981 to 2007.
Valerie Bertinelli announced social media break due to mental and emotional exhaustion. (ABC/Heidi Gutman)
Afterward, her journey to find true love took time.
"I want to be clear that this process has taken a long time," she told People magazine last month. "I got more intentional about my healing. That meant a lot of walks with [my dog] Luna, a lot of therapy sessions, a lot of learning that I deserve to feel good."
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"First came the work," she continued. "Why I thought I didn't deserve to be loved. Why I was using food to numb my feelings. All the drama and trauma I hadn’t dealt with — with Ed and my last marriage."
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Fox News Digital's Lori Bashian contributed to this post.
Christina Dugan Ramirez is a freelance entertainment writer for Fox News Digital.
