Melissa Rycroft Says 'Life Really Sucks Right Now' Following DWI Arrest

Melissa Rycroft admits she's been struggling in the wake of her DWI arrest.

The former "Bachelor" star broke her silence in the comments of her own Instagram Monday, telling a fan ... "Life really sucks right now and I'm struggling, but I'm trying to march forward."

Her last previous Instagram post was over a month ago, but fans have been flooding the comments since news of her arrest broke last week. One fan shared an emotional message about making similar mistakes, writing ... "Don’t ever forget that you are beautiful, loved and blessed. But most of all, you are human. Things happen. Life happens. Be grateful that it wasn’t worse and move forward with grace."

Rycroft replied, "Thank you for the sweet words in what seems like a world of negativity."

We broke the story ... Rycroft was arrested for DWI on September 23 in Texas. According to the police report, she allegedly told officers she'd been in a hit-and-run -- but witnesses claimed she was the only one involved.

Cops noted she had "bloodshot eyes," "slurred speech," and a "slight odor of alcohol," adding they found what appeared to be spilled drinks inside her SUV.

She was taken into custody after failing field sobriety tests and released on $1,000 bond eight hours later.