Collin Gosselin Recalls 'Scary' Institution, Pushes Back Against Mom Kate's 'Special Needs' Claim

At the time, back in 2016, his mother Kate said he had "special needs" and was enrolled in a program away from home to help him. Now, in a new interview with ET, he's pushing back at her claims and saying he never should have been there in the first place.

"It's unfortunate that that's how my mom, you know, phrased me as a person," he said of his mom's "special needs" explanation. "You know, I don't see those things and I don't think anybody else sees those things, but if that's how she sees me then, you know, that's her point of view and I hope that, if we met again one day, she would understand that, you know, it's not the case."

When asked why he believes he was allegedly sent to two different institutions, he told the outlet, "I came to the conclusion that everybody has their own agenda, you know? My mom had her own agenda, and I don't know exactly what that was. But I was put in a tough spot and my agenda was to make it out on top of that tough spot."

He was also asked if he believed he shouldn't have been there, agreeing with the question. "Institution, scary place, but I learned a lot about myself," he added.

According to Collin, his relationship with his mother fell apart at that point, though it had already been deteriorating before he was sent to treatment. The teen added he spent his 13th and 14th birthdays there and had no idea "what to think of being there at the time," recalling how he felt "hopeless."

He explained that the "one thing that kind of helped me mentally figure out that there was a way of out there" was writing to his father, before he shared one of the emotional letters he wrote Jon with the outlet. "Save me! Please come fast! Help me!" it read, "I'm counting on you to get me out of here. You're my dad, my savior. Daddy, I love you."

"I was in a dark place mentally. I think being in a place like that does more damage than it helps you," said Collin, who also expressed frustration he couldn't push back against the public perception of him at the time.

"It was definitely hard, like, not being in the media to kind of explain everything 'cause, you know, I wanted to take time for myself and I wasn't able to give the truthful answers," he said. "I mean, there were just things out there, you know, not my words -- other people’s words. It was tough, but, you know, it's good now to be able to put my own word out there."

He said he wasn't "still kind of hung up on the things that I've been put through," telling ET that he now goes to school, has friends and feels "very fortunate for the life I have now."

In the same interview, he also opened up about being estranged from his mother and shared a message to his six siblings with whom he apparently no long has contact.

TooFab has reached out to Kate's manager for comment.