News of the reality TV star's death was shared in a statement posted by his family on Monday.
UPDATE:
Seiter is not dead, posting a video of himself on Tuesday and claiming his Instagram was hacked. Seiter said he was locked out of his Instagram account for 24 hours.
"Hey guys, as you can see I am alive and well," he says in the video. "My account was hacked, for the last 24 hours I've been desperately trying to get into it. Somebody was playing a cruel joke and mocking my mental illness and the struggles I've gone through with depression and suicide attempts and I'm sorry for all the pain they've caused when they made that post."
Seiter said he was going to work with his team to identify who was behind the post and apologized for the confusion.
Bachelorette alum Josh Seiter has died. He was 36.
Seiter's family shared the news of his untimely death in a statement posted to his Instagram account on Monday.
"It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share the tragic news of Joshua's unexpected passing," the statement read. "As all who knew him can attest, Joshua was an incredibly bright light in an increasingly dim world. His fearless voice and indomitable spirit helped thousands of people in their darkest moments feel just a little less alone."
"Although our heartache at Joshua's passing pains up beyond measure, we find comfort in knowing that he is finally at peace," the statement continued. "We hope and pray that his spirit can continue to live on in the pictures and words on this page, which we will leave up for the time being. While we do that, we would kindly ask for privacy as we grieve."
While the statement did not specify a cause of death, the family concluded the post writing, "For anybody who is experiencing a mental health crisis and needs help, the 988 SMS lifeline provides 24/7 free and confidential support for people in distress, as well as prevention and crisis resources."
Seiter previously competed on season 11 of The Bachelorette, vying for the heart of Kaitlyn Bristowe, in 2015.
In the years since, Seiter has been very open and candid about his struggles with a variety of mental health issues, including anxiety and bipolar depression.
On Thursday, in his final Instagram post before his death, Seiter posted a smiling photo of himself, but wrote in the caption, "Surviving depression and anxiety one day at a time with a smile."
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. Additionally, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
RELATED CONTENT:
