Doja Cat Opens Up About Drug Issues and Mental Health Battle
- Doja Cat revealed she battled cocaine use around eight years ago in a video that surfaced on social media
- The Grammy-winning rapper also spoke candidly about her complicated relationship with alcohol and the toll social media took on her mental health
- Doja reflected on how undiagnosed mental illness and online negativity pushed her to a dark place before she found her footing
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Source: Getty Images
Doja Cat has pulled back the curtain on one of the most difficult chapters of her life, revealing she once struggled with drug use in an honest and deeply personal conversation about addiction, mental health, and the brutal nature of online fame.
A video that circulated on social media on 1 September 2026 shows the rapper speaking openly about her past, including a battle with cocaine that she says took place roughly eight years ago. Beyond the substance use, she also discussed a difficult relationship with alcohol and how the combination of undiagnosed mental illness and constant social media exposure took a serious toll on her well-being.
Doja Cst on mental health and online toxicity
The Kiss Me More singer did not hold back when addressing the link between mental health and social media, framing it as an issue far bigger than her personal experience.
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"Undiagnosed and unaccounted for mental illness paired with social media is an extreme issue that a lot of us don't understand. It's important that we take that into account when we see things on the internet."
She also spoke directly to fans and followers who find themselves on the receiving end of online cruelty, acknowledging that hurtful comments can act as a mirror for insecurities people already carry.
"When we see negative things on the internet about ourselves, people commenting things that make you hate yourself, whatever validates the things you already hate about yourself; just know that you probably need help and they probably need help."
Source: Getty Images
Doja Cat says she has moved forward
Doja was equally candid about how deeply she internalised the negativity directed at her, admitting that hostile engagement online affected her more than she let on.
"When people engage me in a negative fashion, and I say stuff back to them, I respond more to those comments because I'm affected more by those comments."
Despite the weight of everything she described, the Paint the Town Red hitmaker was clear that those days are behind her. She told viewers that she is "well past that" now and expressed genuine gratitude for the progress she has made since those darker years.
The conversation stands out for its rawness, particularly coming from an artist who has spent years in the public eye and has often been scrutinised for her behaviour online. By speaking so directly about addiction, healing, and the pressures of celebrity, Doja Cat offered a rare and refreshingly honest look at what fame can cost.
Watch Doja Cat's video below.
Doja Cat meets her South African family
In an earlier report, Briefly News shared online reactions to Doja Cat finally meeting her South African relatives.
Despite the tense relationship between her and her father, Dumisani Dlamini, the rapper's family welcomed her with open arms.
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Source: Briefly News
