VPR: As Sandoval Confesses the Depths of His Mental Health Struggle, His Costars Focus on His 'Villain Energy'

Mar. 15, 2025

Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix.Photo:River Callaway/Variety via Getty (2)

River Callaway/Variety via Getty (2)

Tom Sandovalis facing a new reality in the aftermath of his affair withRachel “Raquel” Levissbeing exposed and his friends taking sides in his breakup with exAriana Madix.

On Tuesday’s episode ofVanderpump Rules,Lisa Vanderpumpexpressed concerns about theSchwartz & Sandy’sco-owner’smental healthafter he confided in her about having suicidal thoughts at the height ofScandoval.

The SUR owner toldScheana ShayandLala Kentthat Sandoval, 41, is in “a very dark place” amid the public outcry over his affair. But, the ladies stopped short of giving him their sympathy when Scheana said her former friend was “diving into this villain energy.”

“My conversation with Sandoval last night could not have been more frustrating,” she said of the conversation during whichshe called him a narcissist, which Sandoval denied. “He’s taking no accountability for anything that he’s done, so Lisa saying he’s depressed [when] I haven’t seen that. I’ve just seen him project.”

Tom Sandoval attends the 2024 iHeartRadio ALTer EGO at the Honda Center on January 13, 2024 in Anaheim, California.Elyse Jankowski/Getty

Elyse Jankowski/Getty

However, Lisa, 63, insisted that Sandoval is “a shadow of his former self” as he attempts to move forward with his life following the scandal.

“I don’t ever want to see anyone go down the path of that kind of depression when you feel the whole world’s against you… There’s only so much one person can take before they break,” she shared. “I don’t want to be in a position where we have regret.”

“I never thought suicide would touch my life,” she shared of her brother’s death. “When I look back at my brother saying he was depressed, it’s a real trigger for me because he was depressed and where is he now? Tom Sandoval is not the kind of person that says he’s had suicidal thoughts unless he means it. ”

Lisa Vanderpump and Tom Sandoval at the “Vanderpump Rules” Season 10 Reunion.Nicole Weingart/Bravo via Getty

Nicole Weingart/Bravo via Getty

Scheana, 38, and Lala, 33, found themselves at crossroads as Lisa encouraged them to forgive Sandoval but they worried it would come at the cost of “losing Ariana.”“Ariana made it very clear,” Scheana said in a confessional. “Anyone who chooses to remain friends with Tom Sandoval is basically dead to her, but at the same time, if someone is really struggling at this level, how do I keep coming for him?”

Meanwhile, Sandoval told his friendBillie Leethat the scandal has caused him to be “really stressed out, depressed, [and] overwhelmed.” He added henow feels like an “outsider”with his group of friends, adding, “I feel like Andy Dufresne when he first gets to Shawshank.”

“I wish I could get back some part that resembles my old life. It’s always the people that are closest to you that seem to hurt you the most,” he shared.

Tom Sandoval and Billie Lee attend National OOTD Day x Stassi Schroeder at Pump on June 30, 2018 in West Hollywood, California.Lester Cohen/WireImage

Lester Cohen/WireImage

Later in their conversation, Sandoval admitted he “got close a couple of times” to ending his life. He added, “When you get in that frame of mind. I had to really snap myself out of it. There was all kinds of feelings in my head — pain, anger, sadness, depression, [and] bleakness. I lost all of my friends and I felt like maybe the best way to show that I’m sorry and kind of what everybody wants is for me to go away.”

“I just want to be happy again. I don’t feel like I’m allowed to get there,” he added as Billie told him he would get there with time.

AtJames Kennedy’s pool party, Ariana was quick to shut down Scheana’s concerns about her ex’s mental well-being, saying, “I can understand that maybe he has had some thoughts and feelings, but like those thoughts and those feelings are based on the situation that he created, in which he didn’t give a f— about anybody else’s mental health. I know I’m a bitch saying this, but like, it just feels a little bit annoying.”

She added Sandoval is a “scary f—ing person that I don’t trust any word that comes out of his mouth because it’s constantly changing and it all, to me, feels like manipulation.”

Ariana Madix and Scheana Shay.Scheana/Instagram

Scheana/Instagram

“Lala and Scheana showed the entire nation how to treat us,” he claimed. “People followed their lead.”

“This energy is not going to serve you well,” Schwartz countered. “You got to put down the guard a little bit. I’m not saying you have to let people walk all over you and abuse you.”

“His tone of ‘they don’t know what they’ve done to me,’ it worries me,” he added. “I don’t want to undermine his feelings, but I don’t think it’s going to be productive.”

Despite the conversation, Schwartz maintained a positive outlook about their upcoming trip, saying in a confessional, “I’m optimistic about this trip to Tahoe but do I expect it to miraculously cleanse everyone’s memory? No, of course, not. But, I’m hoping it opens up the door a little bit.”

He then tried to reassure Sandoval, telling him, “I think people are in place where they’re ready to talk without necessarily coming after you."

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Vanderpump Rulesairs Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo.

source: people.com