AJ McLean is happier and more healthy than ever — and hoping to remain that approach.
The Backstreet Boys singer, 47, shared he’s in “the very best head area I’ve ever been in my life” as he gave an replace on his sobriety journey throughout an interview with People revealed on Thursday, July 10.
The Constructing the Band host has endured drug and alcohol habit struggles for the reason that age of twenty-two and tried to get sober a number of instances. Regardless of a number of relapses, the singer instructed the journal he’s decided for his sobriety to final this time round.
“I’m sticking this one out all the best way. It’s a day by day factor. However I’ve lastly carried out what has been advised amongst the sober group, and my life has flipped in a optimistic approach,” he stated.
McLean shared {that a} earlier journey to Arizona was useful to his psychological well being and his sobriety.
“I’m an enormous advocate for the psychological well being group, and I needed to go dig a little bit deeper into my very own existence and actually get to the foundation of why I did the issues I did to harm myself and those I cherished,” he stated.
McLean added that he’s been capable of work on his low shallowness points in addition to separate his id and self-worth from being based mostly solely on his ties to his boy band.
“I’ve found new verbiage, corresponding to boundaries, by no means actually had these. Now I’ve these, which is a blessing. AJ is a member of a gaggle. He’s a persona, however he doesn’t outline me as a person. Alexander James is who I’m,” he stated.
AJ McLean. (Picture by Kevin Mazur/Getty Pictures for iHeartRadio)
Whereas McLean has confronted testing instances, such because the 2024 loss of life of his Constructing the Band costar Liam Payne, he has leaned on his help community to get by way of.
Chatting with Us Weekly, McLean divulged that he known as his sponsor after he discovered concerning the One Course singer’s loss of life.
“I used to be actually on a Zoom name with my group,” he instructed Us earlier this month. “My supervisor instructed me what had occurred, and I used to be like, ‘Guys, I acquired to get off the decision. I’m sorry. I’ll meet up with you later.’ I simply, form of, sat there.”
McLean stated he “known as [his] sponsor” first earlier than making an attempt to get in contact with Constructing the Band costars Kelly Rowland and Nicole Scherzinger.
“All three of us form of banded collectively and form of talked to one another,” he continued. “We have been form of being help for one another.”
All through McLean’s decades-long battle, the singer has checked out and in of rehab a number of instances. He has additionally admitted to overdosing twice.
McLean, who shares kids Elliot, 12, and Lyric, 8, with estranged spouse Rochelle McLean, beforehand revealed to Folks in 2020 that his “turning level” got here after he returned from a booze-filled Las Vegas journey.
“What actually hit me was the second my youngest daughter Lyric stated to me that night time, ‘You don’t odor like my daddy.’ And when she stated that to me, that was it. Sufficient stated. I felt disgusting,” he stated.
In case you or somebody suffers from habit points, name the Substance Abuse and Psychological Well being Companies Administration’s Nationwide Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.