Paris Jackson is celebrating five years of sobriety. The 26-year-old took to social media to share the positive news with her followers since stopping alcohol and heroin.
Jackson posted an Instagram Reel in which she can be seen smoking and drinking alcohol from a bottle. The video then cuts to her recovery chips and coins before showing her new life of sobriety. She is seen dancing, making music, spending time with her dog and kissing her fiancé Justin “Blue” Long.
“hi, i’m pk and i’m an alcoholic and a heroin addict. today marks 5 years clean & sober from all drugs and alcohol. to say that i’m thankful would be a poor euphemism. gratitude hardly scratches the surface,” Jackson captioned her post. “it’s because i’m sober that i get to smile today. i get to make music. i get to experience the joy of loving my dogs and cat. i get to feel heartbreak in all it’s glory. i get to grieve. i get to laugh. i get to dance. i get to trust. i feel the sun on my skin and it’s warm. i’ve found that life keeps happening regardless of whether i’m sober or not, but today i get to show up for it.”
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“to those that helped me on this journey, if only for just the beginning, middle, or the whole time so far, you know who you are and I owe you my life. thank you. 5 years. THANK GOD,” she concluded the video clip.
Jackson was only 11 years old when her father, Michael Jackson, died in 2009, according to Essence. Afterward, she progressively “fell into self-harm,” per a post she shared in the 2020 Facebook Watch series Unfiltered: Paris Jackson and Gabriel Glenn.
“It was also a distraction from emotional pain and transferring it to physical pain. And a need for control,” Jackson said, USA Today reported.
Later on, Jackson discussed her progress and gratitude during a 2021 Red Table Talk interview.
“A lot of people do feel regret when they try and attempt suicide,” she said at the time. “There have been times where I did and times where I didn’t, where I was upset that it didn’t work. But I can say, several years later, that I’m really grateful that it didn’t. Things have gotten better.”
If you or someone you know is battling suicidal ideation, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988. You can also text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.
