Doja Cat opens up about alcohol struggles and past cocaine use
Synopsis
Doja Cat broke her silence on substance abuse in a vulnerable TikTok series — acknowledging alcohol problems and a cocaine struggle roughly eight years ago. Her framing was striking: she connected 'demonic' online perceptions of her directly to addiction and undiagnosed mental illness, making this less a celebrity confession and more a pointed critique of how fame, social media, and substance use collide.
Key Takeaways
Doja Cat posted a candid series of videos on TikTok disclosing past struggles with alcohol and cocaine.
She said she had 'problems' with alcohol but clarified she was 'never an alcoholic.' She disclosed a past struggle with cocaine , estimating it occurred approximately eight years ago , and said she is 'well past that.' She linked her substance use to unaddressed mental health issues and described using the internet for 'validation' of negative thoughts.
The 30-year-old rapper framed the disclosure as part of a personal journey toward healing.
Rapper Doja Cat has publicly addressed her past battles with alcohol and drug use, sharing a candid and emotionally raw account through a series of videos posted on TikTok. The 30-year-old artist, speaking from Los Angeles, said she is grateful her substance-related struggles are now behind her.
What Doja Cat Said
In her TikTok series, Doja Cat acknowledged having had 'problems' with alcohol, while stopping short of calling herself an alcoholic. She also disclosed a past struggle with cocaine, which she said occurred approximately eight years ago. 'I've never had a real problem with drugs, except for weed, but alcohol is something that I definitely have had a problem with, I was never an alcoholic, but I definitely had problems,' she said.
On the cocaine disclosure, she stated: 'I have struggled with cocaine, I think could have been like eight years ago, but I'm well past that, so thank God.'
On Fear, Healing and Going Public
Doja Cat explained that she was hesitant to post the videos but felt compelled to do so as part of a personal philosophy around confronting fear. 'I really don't want to make this TikTok because I have fear in my heart and I was taught I should do something that scares me every day. If I'm on any journey to healing and so I'm going to do it,' she said.
She also addressed online perceptions of her as 'demonic,' connecting that narrative directly to the influence of substance use and unaddressed mental health struggles. 'If one wants to create demonic instances or imagery that person will drink, involve alcohol, drugs and addiction, really anything and combine it, not always, with uncared for undiagnosed mental illness,' she explained.
The Role of the Internet in Her Struggles
Doja Cat pointed to social media as a compounding factor in her mental health challenges during that period. She described 'using the internet as a means of validation to the negative thoughts in my head which were then brought on by drinking alcohol' — a candid acknowledgement of how online engagement can intensify psychological distress.
She cautioned against combining substance use with unregulated internet consumption, calling it 'not good' to 'pair these two things together.'
Context and Significance
Doja Cat, born Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, has been one of the most prominent figures in global pop and hip-hop over the past several years. Her decision to speak openly about addiction and mental health adds her voice to a growing number of artists publicly discussing the psychological toll of fame. Notably, she framed the disclosure not as a confession but as an act of healing — a distinction that sets a considered tone for the conversation.
With the videos already drawing significant attention, her account is likely to prompt wider discussion around mental health support for artists navigating public life and social media scrutiny.
Point of View
She chose a platform built on immediacy and vulnerability — and explicitly named the fear of doing so. Her linking of online validation-seeking to alcohol-induced negative thinking is a more sophisticated observation than most celebrity mental health disclosures offer. What mainstream coverage may underplay is her implicit critique of parasocial dynamics: the audience that labelled her 'demonic' is the same audience she was drinking to cope with. That loop — fame, scrutiny, substance, more scrutiny — is the structural problem she is describing, and it extends well beyond her individual story.
NationPress
1 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Doja Cat reveal about her drug and alcohol use?
Doja Cat revealed in a TikTok video series that she had 'problems' with alcohol and also struggled with cocaine approximately eight years ago. She clarified she was never an alcoholic and said her substance-related struggles are now in the past.
Why did Doja Cat post the TikTok videos about her struggles?
She said she posted the videos despite feeling fearful, explaining that she follows a personal belief in doing something that scares her every day as part of a journey toward healing.
How did Doja Cat connect her substance use to mental health?
She described a cycle in which alcohol use amplified negative thoughts, which she then sought to validate through internet engagement. She also referenced 'uncared for undiagnosed mental illness' as a factor that, when combined with substance use and social media, can produce destructive outcomes.
What did Doja Cat say about being labelled 'demonic' online?
Doja Cat addressed widespread online perceptions of her as 'demonic,' connecting that image to the influence of substance use and untreated mental illness rather than any inherent character flaw. She said she could 'teach' people about such perceptions from her own experience.
Is Doja Cat currently struggling with substance use?
No. Doja Cat stated clearly that her struggles with alcohol and cocaine are in the past, expressing gratitude that she is 'well past' those issues.
