Honey Singh reveals he was drowning in drugs and alcohol, took 8 years to clean his system, ‘I used to smoke 12-15 joints…’

Honey Singh reveals he was drowning in drugs and alcohol, took 8 years to clean his system, ‘I used to smoke 12-15 joints…’

Rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh has opened up once again about the darkest phase of his life, describing how drug abuse not only derailed his career but consumed nearly a decade of his physical and mental health.

In a recent interview, he revealed that it took him eight years to completely purge drugs from his system, calling it the biggest mistake of his life.

Honey Singh looked back at the years when addiction took control. Speaking to NDTV, he said, “The Honey Singh 15-20 years back was also very intelligent and ambitious, but he did one big mistake which was to do drugs. And he got influenced by drugs. It caused me a lot of harm, and today I tell all my younger brothers and sisters that they should especially stay away from drugs because they damage you so much.”

He added that addiction has a way of creeping in slowly and silently. “Slowly, and you don’t even realise it. Sukhe nashe maine 2014 mein chhod diye the (I quit drugs around 2014 when I was diagnosed and told that I was ill). But even then, it still took me 8 years to recover. It just wouldn’t leave my system. And I never want anyone, not even an enemy, to go through what I went through.”

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The rapper also admitted that he kept his family at a distance during the peak of his fame because he didn’t want them to discover he was struggling. “During my peak in 2012 to 2014 I had met my parents only 4-5 times because my mind was occupied by fame and money. I was touring the world and had forgotten them. I had also maintained my distance with them because I thought they would get to know about my addiction.”

Honey’s downward spiral began just as his career hit its highest point. After the success of Desi Kalakaar, he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and slipped deeper into substance abuse. Things worsened by 2017, when he suffered a breakdown mid-tour. He quit music, moved back to Delhi and began treatment with a global team of doctors and therapists.

“I was drowning in drugs and alcohol, smoking 12-15 joints and downing bottles. I abandoned my family, lost control. This one time, I got so high I bit a friend on his stomach eight times,” he said in an earlier conversation with Lallantop.

Honey Singh eventually returned to work in 2023 with the track Kalaastar, marking his gradual comeback. He has since released new music and is preparing for his My Story World Tour, which begins in Dubai on February 6, 2026.