The pop star got candid on Instagram about his past drug use, mental health and relationships.
Singer-songwriter Justin Bieber recently shared a number of thoughts and feelings in a long Instagram post that covered his unstable childhood, the shock of finding fame at such a young age, the ups and downs of performing, and his past drug use.
The Canadian YouTube singer-turned-teen-sensation admitted that he “started doing pretty heavy drugs at 19” in connection with his chaotic teen years in which he went from being unknown to being beloved by millions.
Bad Decisions
“As my talent progressed and I became ultra successful it happened within a strand of two years… By 20 I made every bad decision you could have thought of and went from one of the most loved and adored people in the world to the most ridiculed, judged and hated person in the world!” he wrote.
Bieber blames his bad decisions on the pressures that were placed on him at such a young age, when he was still, naturally, “defiant, rebellious, things all of us have to go through.” He also pointed to the common experience of child stars, many who have ended up with substance use issues, legal problems, and/or mental illness.
In 2014, Bieber was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence on an expired license and charged with these crimes plus resisting arrest without violence. A toxicology report found THC and Xanax in his system and police claimed he also admitted to having consumed alcohol in addition to the other drugs before driving. He settled for the lesser charge of “misdemeanor careless driving and resisting arrest without violence” and paid a $500 fine, plus a $50,000 contribution to the charity Our Kids.
Married Life
Today, 25 and recently married to model Hailey Baldwin, Bieber seems to have settled down and is learning from his past mistakes, writing that “humility comes with age.”
“It’s taken me years to bounce back from all of these terrible decisions, fix broken relationships, and change relationship habits,” he said in his Instagram post. “Luckily god blessed me with extraordinary people who love me for me.”
Bieber has spoken in the past about struggling with mental health issues such as depression and anxiety and was diagnosed with ADHD at a young age. In another Instagram post back in March, he asked fans to pray for him as he struggled, saying he was “feeling super disconnected and weird.” However, he remained positive.
“I always bounce back so I’m not worried just wanted to reach out and ask for your [sic] guys to pray for me,” he wrote. “God is faithful and ur prayers really work thanks.”