Liam Payne opened up about struggling with depression and addiction, saying he experienced feelings of isolation and hit “rock bottom” during his time with One Direction.
During an appearance on the podcast “The Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett, Payne said he became reliant on alcohol at the height of the band’s fame and experienced “suicidal ideation.” Payne, who described himself as an addict, said he and his bandmates weren’t given the “freedom to make choices” which escalated his struggles. Payne also revealed he began struggling with alcohol abuse again during the pandemic, but he has now been sober for one month.
When asked about a One Direction reunion, Payne said: “I enjoyed touring for what I enjoyed it for, but there’s parts of it that really, really f—ed me up. But none of us talk about it, it’s like a taboo subject. Like, ‘Oh, we can’t get back together.’ What do you mean? Us in the same room? What the f— is that about?” He mentioned those he maintains a good relationship with, specifically Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan.
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