After three days in a psychiatric facility, Heather Locklear, 56, quietly returned home to her Thousand Oaks, CA, residence on June 20. “Heather’s really struggling,” an insider exclusively confirmed to Closer Weekly of the star, who was placed under an involuntary medical hold on June 17 after she reportedly got physical with her parents and threatened to shoot herself.

This is just the latest in a string of disturbing outbursts that started a decade ago, when a man claiming to be Heather’s doctor called 911 saying she was suicidal and should be checked on. “Her first stint in rehab was in 2008,” the insider noted of the fallout from that incident. “She’s had stretches of happiness for many years,” the insider pointed out, but her resurfacing battles with anxiety, depression, and substance abuse have those closest to her frantic.

heather locklear mugshot

Heather’s mugshot from June 24.

“Heather’s crying out for help,” the insider insisted, “and she needs to be watched before she does anything drastic.” Added Jack Wagner, Heather’s former Melrose Place co-star and onetime fiancé, “I hope she can really dig in and turn her life around. I love her to death, and I just pray for the best for her and her family.”

Signs of Heather’s most recent unraveling started to show in February. She was arrested for felony domestic violence charges against boyfriend Chris Heisser, along with three counts of misdemeanor battery on a cop who came to her home after her brother Mark Locklear called 911. Triggered by alleged infidelity on his part, Heather and Chris aggressively argued on June 15, leading him to believe Heather was about to melt down again. He advised Heather’s daughter, Ava Sambora, 20, to leave her mom’s home to protect her physically and emotionally from Heather’s potential actions.

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Heather and her daughter, Ava.

“One day Heather’s up; the next she’s down,” the insider said of the star, who’s done several stints in rehab over the past 10 years. “She’ll be the first to tell you her drinking is the root of all her problems. When she’s drinking, or white-knuckling it trying not to drink, she gets depressed and doesn’t feel well physically or mentally.” Heather’s family — parents Diane and Bill Locklear, brother Mark, and sisters Colleen Locklear and Laurie Locklear — remain in her corner. “But now it’s about tough love,” the insider noted. “Heather needs to take care of Heather. She needs to want to get help.”

Rocker Richie Sambora, 58 — Heather’s second husband and Ava’s father — has also been offering support. “This latest incident with the gun is something her family’s been dreading for some time now,” the insider revealed, though it’s been reported local police failed to find any weapons after they searched Heather’s home in March, when she was away in rehab. As her inner circle processes the findings from this latest psych evaluation, Heather will again try to conquer her demons, not only for herself but for her daughter, too. “Ava’s been through some rough patches with her parents,” Heather’s said in the past, in regard to both her and Richie’s substance-abuse troubles.

heather locklear richie sambora

Heather and her ex-husband Richie.

The fact that Richie has reportedly been clean and sober for a while now is helping Ava stay optimistic that her mom can rally as well. “Ava hates that Heather is in the news, but she’s strong,” the insider said. “She’s disappointed right now, but she loves her mom and she has hope that there’s light at the end of the tunnel. We all share that hope.”

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