Amanda Bynes

These are sad, strange times in the life of Amanda Bynes.

For a while there, it looked as though things were finally turning around for the troubled former Nickelodeon star.

Back in September, Amanda Bynes checked into rehab to be treated for substance abuse and mental health issues.

In many cases, such a development in the life of a former child star would be greeted with consternation, but in Bynes' case fans saw it for what it was -- a sign of progress.

The child star who goes off the rails and squanders their talent in the flurry of partying and bad decisions is an all too familiar trope these days.

But as much as we've come to expect it from performers who were thrust into the national spotlight several years before their brains fully developed, it still came as something of a shock when such an unfortunate fate befell Amanda Bynes.

Today, on this very special Tuesday in September, I'm happy to share that Amanda Bynes has joined Instagram.

The 33-year-old just made her first-ever post, and as usual, she is leaving quite a big impression.

Earlier this year, the world learned that Amanda Bynes was back in rehab. It was her very brave choice after suffering a relapse.

After the extreme drug use of her past, she's taking all of the necessary steps to maintain her health.

About two weeks ago, it was reported that Amanda Bynes was back in rehab following an unfortunate relapse.

Fans had been so happy seeing the once-troubled star retake control of her life. Now, things may be worse than ever.

Back in November, fans rejoiced at news of an Amanda Bynes comeback.

Bynes was one of TV's most popular entertainers at the height of her fame, and her foray into film acting was highlighted by roles in such films as Hairspray, Easy A, and She's the Man.

Amanda Bynes has posted a new photo of herself on Twitter.

And you may need to brace yourself for this one, celebrity gossip followers.

For Amanda Bynes, the road to recovery has been a long and difficult one with many potholes and detours along the way.

Bynes' struggle with mental illness played out in the public eye, and when she began to show signs of recovery earlier this year, fans rejoiced at the thought of having "the old Amanda" back.

It's been a very long time since anyone has heard from or laid eyes on Amanda Bynes, who quietly resurfaced on Twitter over the weekend.

The actress gave fans and followers a nice surprise when she shared a photo of herself posing with a friend and bouquets of flowers:

You'll never, ever believe this, not in a million years, but there's some high drama going on in Amanda Bynes' life.

... Wait, what's that? You definitely would believe it, no problem, because Amanda Bynes is constantly on the verge of the biggest celebrity meltdown we've ever seen?

Amanda Bynes is back on social media.

We know you may have just involuntarily cringed while reading that sentence, but trust us, this time it's a good thing.

Around this time last year, Amanda Bynes had quite the meltdown. And by "meltdown," we mean she threatened to kill her father and leave his body in a ditch on Twitter.

After that, the troubled former child star understandably took some time away from the spotlight, but lately Amanda has been out and about in LA, and last night, she posted a photo of herself looking better than ever: