By Eddy “Precise” Lamarre
Doja Cat has publicly addressed her past cocaine use, difficult relationship with alcohol, racial identity and ongoing mental health treatment. The rapper and singer discussed the subjects through a series of TikTok videos shared Aug. 31.
Her comments offered context for several periods of controversy in her career while emphasizing that she considers herself to be on a continuing path toward healing. Entertainment Weekly, Complex and E! News reported on the videos.
What did Doja Cat reveal?
Doja Cat said she struggled with cocaine approximately eight years ago but considers that experience to be behind her. She distinguished that history from her relationship with alcohol, which she described as a recurring problem without identifying herself as an alcoholic.
She connected drinking, untreated mental illness and online validation to destructive thinking. Her account focused on how social media could reinforce the negative thoughts she was experiencing instead of providing genuine support.
Doja Cat also addressed accusations that the darker imagery used during her Scarlet era reflected something dangerous about her character. She explained the imagery as an artistic representation of personal problems, addiction and mental distress.
Her remarks should be understood as her personal account, not a clinical explanation of addiction or mental illness.
How did she address race and self-image?
The artist, who is biracial, said she began struggling with her identity after moving to a predominantly white neighborhood at age 8. She described feeling confused about where she belonged and how she understood her Blackness.
That history provided context for criticism Doja Cat has faced concerning her past online behavior and racial identity. She acknowledged that there was a period when she struggled with self-hate, but she rejected the idea that those feelings still define her.
“I don’t hate myself,” she said in one of the videos.
Doja Cat encouraged people experiencing similar confusion to care for themselves, sleep and seek help. She did not suggest that personal reflection should replace professional treatment.
Why does this conversation matter in music culture?
Artists are frequently expected to turn emotional distress into music while keeping the underlying struggle away from public view. Social platforms intensify that pressure because an artist can receive praise, mockery and judgment within minutes.
Doja Cat’s disclosure complicates the public character that has surrounded her work. Provocative imagery can function as performance, but it can also grow from experiences the audience does not fully understand.
Her comments do not erase earlier controversies. They provide information listeners can consider when evaluating her evolution and the public conversation surrounding her.
The disclosure is also relevant to Black and biracial fans who have experienced isolation in communities where their identity was questioned. That part of her message reached beyond celebrity news and into a familiar discussion about belonging.
What has Doja Cat said about treatment?
Doja Cat revealed in March that she had been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. She said she has participated in therapy for several years and expects treatment to remain a long-term process.
Mental health conditions and substance-use disorders require individualized evaluation. Anyone facing an immediate mental health or substance-use crisis in the United States can call or text 988 for confidential support.
Doja Cat’s videos ultimately presented healing as unfinished work. Her willingness to discuss that work publicly may help shift the conversation from spectacle toward accountability, context and care.
