We’re all human and we all have our struggles. These struggles may lead some of us towards finding ourselves addicted to substances, struggling with mental health issues, or both. This is no different for musicians. Substance addiction and mental disorders affect all races, genders and socioeconomic backgrounds – even if you are a famous star. In the addiction recovery industry, suffering with both conditions at the same time is referred to as having a Co-Occurring Disorder.
It may be hard to imagine that a person who is so famous and admired could have an addiction or mental health problem. But it’s true, many pop stars struggle with these issues. The pressures of being a celebrity as well as the high-stress lifestyle can take a toll on even the strongest individuals. In this blog post, we will talk about musicians who struggled with addiction and their mental health.
Britney Spears
Britney Spears is one of the best-known examples of a famous artist who has battled both addiction and mental illness. Britney started her career at a very young age. As she grew up in the public eye, her struggles both with substance abuse have always been reported by the media. Her public breakdown back in 2007 led the court to appoint her father as a co-conservator, which means that she could not make decisions on her own without the guidance of her conservators.
Britney has always been open about her mental health issues. In interviews, she talked about her anxiety and being under a lot of stress. Spears reportedly checked herself into a wellness facility in 2019 to focus on her mental health.
Lady Gaga
The famous singer-actress openly talked about her problems with cocaine, and marijuana. According to Lady Gaga, she used these drugs as a way to cope with the pressures of fame. She also confessed that she was diagnosed with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and fibromyalgia. In an Oprah interview, Lady Gaga said that she was taking medications and treatment for her conditions and she recognized that not everyone has access to these types of treatment.
Lady Gaga set up a foundation called Born This Way Foundation to help teens suffering from mental health issues, substance abuse, and eating disorders. Recently, the foundation launched a suicide prevention resource to help young people struggling with mental health issues during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Kanye West
Kanye West is another brilliant musician and entrepreneur who was open about his battles with alcoholism, opioid addiction, and mental illness. In different interviews, Kanye recounted how he would drink orange juice and vodka in the morning. The musician said that he would use alcohol to cope with the disappointment of not being nominated for awards. He also talked about how he became addicted to opioids after he went through a liposuction procedure. In 2016, Kanye was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is a mental disorder that is characterized by an extreme shift in mood, activity, and energy.
Kim Kardashian, Kanye’s wife who recently filed for divorce, said in an earlier statement that her husband’s mental health issues are very complex and painful. She asked the public to show empathy and compassion to Kanye after he posted a series of bizarre posts on social media.
John Mayer
Many people know Grammy-award winning artist John Mayer for his amazing songs as well as his equally famous ex-girlfriends including Taylor Swift, Jennifer Aniston, and Katy Perry. But not many people are aware that Mayer struggled with alcoholism and his mental health.
John Mayer battled with anxiety disorder while growing up. He said he would get anxiety and panic attacks for most of his life. When he became a celebrity, the singer also talked about how he had problems with alcohol. He said that after quitting alcohol, he became more productive.
Adele
In a Vanity Fair interview, Adele talked about how she struggled with alcoholism and mental health issues. According to the singer, she used to love being drunk but ever since she became a mom, she is not as carefree as she was. She confessed that she might never write songs as good as the ones she wrote when she was a massive drinker but she said that she doesn’t have the time to fall apart like she did back then when she was younger. Adele, however, said that she was too scared to take drugs because when she was younger, she knew someone who died of heroin overdose.
Adele also confessed to suffering from postpartum depression and having feelings of inadequacy. She admitted that after she had her son, her depression became really bad that it frightened her. She was too scared, however, to seek medical help and didn’t talk to anyone about it.
If you or a loved one is suffering from substance abuse or mental health issues, help is available.
Contact Anaheim Lighthouse today.
