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Bryan Abrams Speaks Out on Sobriety for National Recovery Month
Multi-platinum, award-winning singer/songwriter and former Color Me Badd frontman, Bryan Abrams, is speaking out on his journey with substance use and mental health treatment in an effort to bring awareness to National Recovery Month. Now in his third year of sobriety, Abrams recently announced his undisclosed settlement to resign from the group he founded and sell the CMB trademark. With his focus squarely on empowering others to get healthy and bringing awareness to the injustices within substance use and mental health treatment, Abrams is now revealing more details about his path to healing and his decision to move forward as a solo artist. The Oklahoma-native has also begun to share vulnerable details of his lifelong challenges with addiction, fame, fatherhood, depression, bulimia and obesity.
“Throughout my career, I was constantly reminded that much of our success was dependent on my appearance and my weight, and the pressure that was put on me to be thin was so much that I developed an eating disorder and severe alcohol addiction. Obviously, things got to the point that I was very unhealthy and needed treatment,” acknowledged Abrams.
Amid the pursuit of mental health and rehabilitation support, Abrams’s family faced substantial barriers to treatment that revealed troubling issues with national and state policies. Abrams had been told repeatedly by medical professionals that if he wasn’t suicidal or homicidal, he wasn’t a candidate for getting help. “I had to get to the point of being suicidal in order to get support,” confided Abrams. “It should never have to go that far for an addict who wants treatment, or their family, to get the help they need.”
As to why the legendary artist has chosen to use his notoriety to amplify his story following wall-to-wall coverage of his past mistakes, Abrams shares, “I’m now at the stage in my recovery where I want to give back and inspire hope in others.” In honor of September’s National Recovery Month, Abrams plans to use his long-awaited solo music career to be a beacon of light for those seeking hope.
If you or someone you know is in need of support, please contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration at samhsa.gov to find treatment, or call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline for resources and confidential support at 1–800–273-TALK (8255)
