Pop star JoJo – who abused alcohol and substances as a young adult – has opened up about her struggles.
JoJo always assumed she was too “strong” to struggle with addiction.
The 33-year-old pop star abused alcohol and substances as a young adult, after her parents – her mom Diana and her late father Joel – both struggled with addiction for many years.
Speaking to PEOPLE, JoJo explained: “For a while, I was super self-righteous and thought I’d never be like my parents. I was like, ‘No, because I’m the strongest. I’m wicked strong.’
“But then I was like, ‘Oh, what I’m doing is no better or worse. I’m my parents’ child, and I need to be awake to what’s happening within myself.'”
JoJo – whose real name is Joanna Levesque – now has a huge amount of admiration for her mom, describing her as a “beautiful person”.
The ‘Leave (Get Out)’ hitmaker said: “I admire her for many things – her sobriety, her commitment to health and her ability to take accountability. I love that about her so much. She’s such a beautiful person.”
JoJo frequently tried to help her dad amid his addiction struggles.
However, the singer explained that he was “trapped in his body”.
She reflected: “I think my dad was trapped in his body. He had so many struggles in his mind.
“In his passing, I had to learn that some people, as much as we want them around, sometimes that’s the completion of their journey.”
JoJo has developed a philosophical attitude towards her parents’ addiction struggles in recent years, after putting herself through therapy.
The singer – who released her self-titled debut album back in 2004 – explained: “I could not be responsible for the life or happiness of either of my parents – because I did feel responsible for a long time.”
JoJo thought she was ‘too strong’ to struggle with addiction
