Justin Bieber talks about his encounter with fame, drug abuse, and depression.
In a long emotional post on Instagram, Justin Bieber bares it all. The music sensation poured his heart out about his journey from being a 13-year-old boy from a small town to becoming a global sensation at a young age.
In an honest confession, he admits that stardom came with its consequences for him, and caused a serious impact on him. Shot to fame at the tender age of 13, the Canadian-American entertainer talks about the pressure, child artists are put through and its outcomes. There are insane pressure and responsibility put on children, who are yet to have their brain and emotions develop completely. He explains that there are already a few things like rationality, defiance and rebellion that every child has to go through; stardom on top of all which makes it completely unexplainable.
Sharing his personal life, he wrote that he didn’t grow up in a stable home, his parents were 18, separated with no money, still young and rebellious as well. As his talent progressed and he became ultra-successful, it happened within the span of two years. His whole world was flipped on its head as he went from a 13-year-old boy from a small town to being praised left and right by the world with millions saying how much they loved him and how great he was, so he came to believe all of it after a point.
Talking about the pitfalls that came with fame, he says that he had everything readymade for him so he never even learned the fundamentals of responsibility. So, by the time he turned 18, he had no skills in the real world but with millions of dollars and access to whatever he wanted. That is a very scary concept for anyone. By 20, he made every bad decision one could have thought of and from one of the most loved and adored people in the world, he was turned to the most ridiculed, judged and hateful person in the world.
Talking about his descent into bad behavior, he continued that he started doing pretty heavy drugs at 19 and abused all of his relationships. He had become resentful, disrespectful to women, and angry. He became distant to everyone who loved him, and he was hiding behind a shell of a person that he had become. He felt like he could never turn it around.
He admitted about slipping into depression due to the several ups & downs which became unfeasible to endure after a point. Addressing this part of his life, he wrote that he has a lot of money, clothes, cars, accolades, achievements, awards, and he was still unfulfilled.
Bieber explains the state by underlining the fact that it gets so hard to get out of bed in the morning with the right attitude when someone is overwhelmed with life, past, job, responsibilities, emotions, family, finances, and relationships. When it feels like there’s only trouble, one starts foreseeing the future through lenses of “dread” and anticipates another bad day. A cycle of feeling disappointment after disappointment begins. Sometimes, it can even get to the point where one doesn’t want to live anymore. Where one feels like it’s never going to change.
Understanding the plight, Bieber says that he can fully sympathize with the people. He could not change his mindset. But he is fortunate to have people in his life that continue to encourage him to keep going. He credits all his loved ones like the light at the end of the dark tunnel that helped him to come out of his misery.
It’s taken him years to bounce back from all of the terrible decisions, fix broken relationships, and change relationship habits. Thanking God, he says that Luckily God blessed him with extraordinary people who love him for him. Crediting his marriage and wife, he concludes that he is navigating the best season of his life: ‘“MARRIAGE!” Which is an amazing crazy new responsibility’. One learns patience, trust, commitment, kindness, humility, and all of the things it looks like to be a good man.
He ended his heartfelt note encouraging that even when the odds are against you, keep fighting. He emphasizes to “BE KIND > BE BOLD TODAY AND LOVE PEOPLE TODAY NOT BY YOUR STANDARDS BUT GOD’S PERFECT UNFAILING LOVE”.
This move from Justin is very praiseworthy. It’s not easy to come clean with your mistakes, acknowledge them and repent for them and attempt to inspire others to learn from their mistakes and not repeat them.