Pete Davidson has spoken candidly about his past struggles with drug addiction, revealing how heavy cannabis use once led to a frightening psychotic episode.
The 31-year-old comedian and former Saturday Night Live cast member appeared on The Breakfast Club radio show on Wednesday, August 13, where he described the toll marijuana took on his mental health.
“I was doing it every day, all day, and I developed psychosis where you hear voices and feel like you’re sitting next to yourself. Weed isn’t supposed to do that… it’s really strong,” Davidson explained.
Pete Davidson Opens Up About Sobriety, Toxic Tabloids, Future Fatherhood, SNL, New Movie + More https://t.co/7vQDoj3OmQ
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He admitted to battling substance abuse in his twenties while simultaneously dealing with sudden fame after joining SNL in 2014. “Yeah, I was doing drugs and trying to be funny, you know what I mean? I didn’t kill anyone, but still… you don’t want that to be public, you want to be able to grow up,” he said.
Davidson also highlighted the lack of privacy young people face today, noting that mistakes that should be personal learning experiences are now permanently documented by the media.
“I was a heavy drug user, I went to rehab, I did therapy, but if you’re actively using, none of that works. You can’t go to treatment high and expect it to help,” he said.
The turning point came when he realized his drug use was damaging his relationships. “I’m not someone who can do things in moderation, unfortunately. I kept lying to myself saying, ‘You can handle it,’ until people I really cared about said, ‘I’m done with you.’ Some came back, others didn’t.”
Now expecting his first child with girlfriend Elsie Hewitt, Davidson says he’s relieved that his darkest moments happened in his youth. “It got a little out of hand, and I was very young… I’m glad all the bad, crazy stuff happened in my 20s. I’m happy I got through it, but it’s tough when you’re young and doing that. I envy people who hit success at 35 with a full life, family, friends, and knowing who they are.”
He closed by reflecting on the embarrassment of public mistakes: “When you don’t know who you are yet and you’re constantly in the news for dumb things, it’s humiliating, it’s tough. I’m grateful it happened when I was young—not that it’s an excuse—but at least it happened then.”
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