Paris Jackson reveals secret heroin addiction as she celebrates five years sober
PARIS Jackson has revealed her secret heroin addiction as she celebrated five years sober.
The 26-year-old daughter of the late King of Pop Michael Jackson posted on social media to tell her fans about her struggles.
She posted some highs and lows of her sober journey, and alongside the star wrote: “hi, i’m pk and i’m an alcoholic and a heroin addict.”
Paris continued: “today marks 5 years clean & sober from all drugs and alcohol. to say that i’m thankful would be a poor euphemism. gratitude hardly scratches the surface.
“it’s because i’m sober that i get to smile today. i get to make music. i get to experience the joy of loving my dogs and cat. i get to feel heartbreak in all it’s glory.
“I get to grieve. i get to laugh. i get to dance. i get to trust. i feel the sun on my skin and it’s warm. i’ve found that life keeps happening regardless of whether i’m sober or not, but today i get to show up for it.”
She finished by writing: “Here’s a little snapshot of what has been possible because of my sobriety, and my god i can’t believe i almost missed it all. Thanks.”
The start of the video sees Paris drinking and smoking, as well as partying and crying as she shares a snapshot of her life.
But then the transition of the video leads to incredibly happy memories for the star, as she shares clips with her fiancé Justin Long, as well as dancing with friends and walking the red carpet at a Christian Louboutin soirée.
Paris also posted nods to her commemorating her sobriety anniversaries, from one day to five years.
Fans flooded the comments to congratulate her on her sobriety, and overcoming her struggles.
Actress Lucy Hale wrote: “You’re amazing amazing amazing.”
And Paris Hilton added: “So proud of you sis,” followed by a hands up emoji.
Paris, who got an alien on her breast when she was 18 as her first tattoo, has previously told how body art helped her recover from a darker time in her life when she self-harmed.“I can look at my inner forearms and see art that has meaning for me, I don’t see a dark past any more,” she explained.
“My scars and past of self-hatred have been covered by loving marks, creativity, ingenuity and depth.”
What is alcohol?
Here's what you need to know...
- Alcohol, also known by its chemical name ethanol, is a psychoactive drug
- It’s the active ingredient in alcoholic drinks like beer, wine and distilled spirits
- Alcohol is believed to be one of the world’s oldest and most commonly used recreational substances
- Its effects include mood lifting, decreased anxiety, increased sociability, sedation, and impairment of cognitive, memory, motor and sensory functions
- Short-term negative effects include dizziness, nausea and vomiting
- It can also be addictive to humans, and have damaging long-term health effects, including liver damage, brain damage and cancer
- Alcohol has been produced and consumed by humans for its psychoactive effects for almost 10,000 years
- Drinking is socially acceptable and legal in most countries
Paris grew up on her dad’s Neverland Ranch in California with her older brother Prince and half-brother Prince Michael II, also known as Bigi and nicknamed Blanket.
Her mother is Debbie Rowe, who worked at the dermatology department where Jacko was being treated for vitiligo.
The two married in 1996 and after their split in 1999 Michael was given full custody of the children.
Growing up, Paris told how she “hated” being dressed like a doll by her father.
She said: “I was the only girl. For the first ten, 11 years of my life my dad loved playing dress-up. I looked like a porcelain doll and I hated it.”
After her father’s death in June 2009, the fame became too much for Paris, who was 11 at the time.
She and her brothers went to live with her grandmother Katherine Jackson.
But she explained: “Food became an addiction and then a cousin called me fat, so I was like, ‘OK, I can’t do that any more’. And that’s how I fell into self-harm.
“There’s a lot of things that cause a dopamine release.
“Self-harm was one of them, tattoos was one of them and so there was that and then also it was a distraction from emotional pain and transferring to physical pain and the need for control.”
By age 15 Paris had become an intravenous drug user and then attempted suicide.
She later explained it was driven by feelings of inadequacy and a belief she was not deserving of life.