Miley Cyrus has been open in the past about her experiences with drugs and alcohol. And like many people, she’s gone through some ups and downs with substance use during the COVID-19 pandemic, Cyrus said in a new interview with Apple Music.
“I, like a lot of people–being completely honest—during the pandemic fell off,” she told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe. “I now am back on sobriety, two weeks sober, and I feel like I really accepted that time.” Recently, though, she said she’s “just been wanting to wake up 100%, 100% of the time.”
Cyrus clarified that she’s not a “moderation person,” and she doesn’t think everyone should be sober. “I think everyone has to do what is best for them,” she explained. “I don’t have a problem with drinking, I have a problem with the decisions I make once I go past [a certain level].” At that point, she starts “dialing the numbers and reaching out to people that I’ve detached from purposely,” she said. “When we drink sometimes there’s almost, like, no future. I become very impulsive.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has been an incredibly stressful time for many people, and research suggests that women in particular have been turning to alcohol more often to help cope over the past several months. If you’ve noticed yourself suddenly drinking more than usual or more frequently than usual—especially if it’s causing issues in your social life, with your job, or with your health—that’s a sign that you may want to reevaluate your relationship with alcohol.
One of the strategies that’s helped Cyrus navigate her sobriety is the concept of “Don’t get furious, get curious,” she said. “So don’t get mad at yourself, but ask yourself what happened.” And experts generally agree that it’s important to think about not just how much you’re drinking, but why you’re drinking as well.
If you, like Cyrus, decide you want to cut back on or take a break from alcohol, you can start by setting drink limits for yourself and building up other healthy habits and hobbies instead, SELF explained previously. But there’s no shame in enlisting some professional help or online support group, even—or especially—in the midst of a pandemic.
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New Research Suggests Women Are Turning to Alcohol to Cope With Pandemic Stress
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