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Despite his recent troubles, Davone Bess is ready to move forward.

(Mark Duncan, Associated Press)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns wide receiver Davone Bess says "betrayal and mistrust" led to a series of bizarre incidents that culminated in his arrest and led to him checking himself into a medical treatment facility.

In an exclusive interview with The Plain Dealer, Bess said he is working through the issues that led to the arrest and also said he still hasn't spoken with the Browns, but is looking forward to the season.

"I haven't talked to the Browns [front office], and I don't know how they feel about me," said Bess, who caught 42 passes for 362 yards and two touchdowns this past season. "I see they made changes, and change is often good. I did have communication with [offensive coordinator] Kyle Shanahan. He sent out a group message [to the offensive players] and I replied … I'm looking forward to the season and getting better on and off the field."

Bess struggled throughout his first season with the Browns, where he was expected to be a veteran presence for the receiving corps. But he suffered a rash of dropped passes and was losing playing time before Browns placed him on the non-football illness list and he missed the last two games of the season because of serious family issues.

Over the next several weeks, there were Twitter photos of Bess with what appeared to be marijuana, a nude photo of Bess, and an arrest on multiple charges after an incident at an airport.

Bess admitted himself into a medical treatment facility in Florida shortly after the arrest.

"I was in a point of my life where there was a lot of betrayal and mistrust and I didn't know how to handle it," Bess said. "So I went and got some help. I went through the process and learned it's OK to express my feelings but I have to do it in a positive way."

Bess said most of his issues involved his family and those close to him, but he didn't elaborate on the specifics. It isn't the first time Bess has received help at a medical facility, but it's the first time Bess took it upon himself.

"I learned to be able to talk about things built up over the years," Bess said. "I handled my emotions the wrong way."

Those emotions were in question at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport last month when, according to police, Bess was acting irrationally and was dancing and singing as his pants repeatedly fell down. When an officer approached Bess and asked if he was all right, Bess didn't respond. He then grabbed a cup of coffee that didn't belong to him and squeezed it, causing the hot liquid to spill on the officer's uniform, the report said.

"It was a bunch of misunderstandings," Bess said. "From my side, I was targeted and that's all it comes down to. I didn't assault anyone. I didn't throw coffee on anyone. I had my headphones on listening to music and the next thing I know these officers walked up on me, and they took it too far by twisting my wrist -- doing extra stuff."

The incidents are similar to the type of attention he tried to escape as a youth in Oakland, when Bess was arrested as an accessory to stolen goods, and spent 15 months in a juvenile detention facility.

The recent incidents cloud Bess' future with the Browns. Mike Florio writes on ProFootballTalk.com how the Browns could void Bess' $3.067 million in guaranteed base salary for 2014, because the salary is guaranteed for skill, injury, or cap, not for non-football illness.

Bess could challenge the Browns if they take this position. And trying to void the guarantee doesn't mean the Browns will cut him. Bess said he doesn't know the Browns' position and is still waiting to speak with the team.