Maci Bookout Opens About PTSD Following Shooting Incident

Teen Mom OG tends to sort of stay in its lane these days.

Gone are the days of messy divorces and intense feuds, as the show now focuses on the quiet domestic dramas of a group of affluent suburban moms.

But as a current Maci Bookout storyline reminds us, you never really know when a life-changing event will find you.

Maci witnessed a deadly shootout between police and a suspect at a gas station in October of 2020, and the incident has caused her to suffer from PTSD.

While we're sure it can't be easy to do so, she has consented to talk about the incident on camera.

On this week's episode, Maci mentioned her trauma during an otherwise routine conversation, a powerul reminder of the ways in which PTSD affects day-to-day life.

“Our family schedule is complicated since the kids are on three different teams and go to three different schools,” Maci said as she sat on her porch with a friend.

“On top of that, my anxiety from the gas station shooting is not getting better.”

Maci went on to explain that her trauma has an impact on her family's week schedule

“Taylor typically takes Bentley and I take Jade. To be honest, we used to like, switch,” she explained.

“Like, he would take Jade sometimes, I would take Bentley sometimes, and then whoever we took that morning, we would pick up. But then the shooting happens," Maci continued.

"So, I don’t take Bentley to school at all because that’s like, the only way to go is to pass that gas station. Like, the red light stops you directly in front of it, literally directly in front of it. And you just sit there.”

Maci first talked about the incident in a March 2021 episode of the show, in which she revealed that she thought she would die during the shootout.

 

“I didn’t think I was gonna survive. I literally thought I was going to die,” Maci said at the time, revealing she locked herself in a bathroom to try to hide from the gunfire.

“I’m alive. So, I’m thankful for that.”

And, of course, in addition to coping with PTSD, Maci has to live her life and continue to be there for her kids.

On last night's episode, she informed her friend that the stress of parenting is beginning to affect her relationship.

“I feel like the little bit of time that I do get just the two of us, it’s always an actual just full-blown parenting. It’s always serious. It’s always serious. It’s never fun,” Maci said.

“We’re still so close but I can tell it’s taking a toll on the both of us, like, we miss each other.”

In addition to all of that, Maci has to deal with the fact that Bentley's father, Ryan Edwards, is neglecting him, often going several weeks at a time without seeing the boy.

And on top of that Ryan and Mackenzie Standifer have been bashing Maci interviews, accusing her of exploiting her kids for money.

Needless to say, the woman has a lot on her plate -- and we wish her the best in coping with it all.

Maci bookout opens about ptsd following shooting incident