Tish Cyrus Details “Self-Medicating” During Billy Ray Cyrus Breakup

by

It took Tish Cyrus years to process her divorce with Billy Ray Cyrus. 

Almost four years after Miley Cyrus’s parents filed for divorce in 2022—they also have children Brandi, Trace, Braison, and Noah—Miley, who hosts the show Sorry We’re Cyrus, shared details about the challenging time that followed.

Tish shared on the January 14th episode of The Squeeze podcast that she approaches challenges with a positive attitude, saying, ‘That’s just life, you have to keep going.’ She added that having been in the same relationship since her early twenties, she’s learned to adapt and move forward.

Tish mentioned that two years before her divorce from Billy Ray Cyrus—who also shares 32-year-old Christopher Cody Cyrus with his former partner, Luckey—she experienced the loss of her mother, Loretta Jean Palmer Finley, with whom she had a very close relationship.

She was still grieving, but soon after, her marriage began to crumble.

Tish explained that she hadn’t fully dealt with two difficult experiences in her life. She also revealed she used to smoke weed frequently, and that it helped manage her anxiety, almost like a form of self-medication.

Tish, who married Dominic Purcell in 2023 after recently ending her relationship with Billy, has shared that she was coping with difficult feelings, though she didn’t recognize it at the time.

In 2024, after stopping cannabis use, she experienced a sudden rush of long-held emotions.

Tish explained that smoking seemed to mask her emotional pain, but once she quit, she experienced intense anxiety about a week later. She described it as the most difficult experience of her life.

Over a year later, Tish explained that she’s “just now” learning how to cope with her anxiety.

She stressed how much she’d improved. She explained that she’d barely been able to cope a year ago, just focusing on getting through each day. Now, she felt like she’d moved past that difficult time and was doing much better.

As she put it, “I’m learning to control it.”

For more stars who have opened up on their mental health journeys, keep reading…

Rapper Radric Davis, known professionally as Gucci Mane, shared in his 2025 book, Episodes: The Diary of a Recovering Mad Man, that he was diagnosed with both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. This diagnosis followed a mental health crisis he experienced in 2020.

He explained on The Breakfast Club that the experience made him realize he needed to prioritize his health and take responsibility for his well-being. He said he never wants to go through something similar again and is committed to seeing a therapist, and will even consider medication if necessary.

Gucci Mane shared that he hoped being open about his struggles would help others. He also said his children, Ice Davis and Iceland Davis, with his wife Keyshia Ka’Oir, were a major reason he decided to seek help when he was going through a difficult time.

He explained that his wife was pregnant with their son, and he worried about the impact raising a family would have on his mental health. He feared experiencing a severe mental health episode he couldn’t recover from, so he proactively began working on his well-being and seeking professional support.

The former star of Gossip Girl recently shared his struggles with body image, explaining that he experienced what he called “body dysmorphia” as a young actor.

In an April 2025 interview with The Guardian, Penn shared that they deeply disliked their body and wished they had a different one.

He explained his weight gain after his parents’ divorce, saying he went through a time where he deliberately, and sometimes unintentionally, focused on his appearance. He felt that being seen as more attractive could lead to greater success and make him feel more valuable, especially as he was emerging from a period of depression and isolation.

Despite the mental struggles, though, Penn credited his ability to persist to his spirituality.

He explained that overcoming his disappointments and personal struggles enabled him to return to his work, feeling changed for the better.

The Scrubs alum has been vocal about her past difficult relationship with food.

She described her struggles with food, stating on the The Funny Thing Is podcast, “Some people might label it an eating disorder, but for me, it’s just how I’ve lived my life.” She went on to say she used food in extreme ways, calling it her ‘drug of choice.’

She added, “I would over-exercise, and there was a sprinkle of bulimia in there.”

Despite admitting she finds it hard to stick to a diet, she’s also been open about the positive steps she’s making towards a healthier lifestyle.

In 2017, she told Bon Appétit that at age 23, she completely changed her lifestyle by eliminating sugar, stopping alcohol, and starting yoga, breathing exercises, and stretching. She described these changes as being more effective than the medication Ritalin.

She shared that she struggles with food and body image, which is something she’s actively working to overcome. She’s also focusing on improving her overall health by eating a healthy diet.

The Full House alum reflected on her mental health journey and navigating her battle with depression.

She admitted on her podcast, Candace Cameron Bure Podcast, that it’s incredibly hard to talk about, even with those closest to you. She explained that she personally feels she should be able to handle it on her own, and admitting she needs to talk about it feels like a sign of weakness.

The Grammy-winning artist often talks about protecting her mental wellbeing, like blocking negativity online, and offers guidance to others who are struggling.

When asked for mental health advice, she told Vogue that patience is the most important thing. She emphasized being patient with herself, resisting any impulsive decisions, and allowing time to pass. She believes that difficult feelings will eventually lessen with time.

As people adjusted to social distancing to help slow the spread of the coronavirus, the singer of “Firework” opened up about how challenging times like these can be for mental health.

She tweeted that it’s often hard to decide whether dealing with the virus or the resulting sadness from this new way of life is more difficult. Katy explained she often finds comfort in her car, saying it’s become her safe place since there aren’t many other options for getting away from things.

The model partnered with designer Kenneth Cole to support The Mental Health Coalition and discussed her personal struggles with anxiety on Good Morning America.

It took me a while, but after my panic attacks started happening again, I finally found the information I needed to understand what was going on. It was such a relief!

Kendall explained that she experiences both good and anxious days, making her involvement with this movement particularly important to her. She hopes to help others feel less isolated and alone.

The actor who plays Black Adam has publicly discussed his struggles with depression and the challenges men often face when trying to talk about their mental wellbeing.

Everyone experiences difficult times and struggles with depression – it doesn’t care who you are. It took me a while to learn this, but the most important thing is to not be afraid to talk about what you’re going through. Men, especially, often keep their feelings bottled up, but remember – you’re not alone.

Prince Harry helped reduce the shame around getting mental health support when he discussed his own experiences with therapy in an interview with the Telegraph. He explained that talking about his struggles made him realize many other people go through similar things, saying, “Once you start talking about it, you realize you’re part of a big community.”

The actress from Empire is a strong advocate for seeking professional help, having openly discussed her own experiences with depression. She’s shared that therapy is essential for her well-being, telling Variety, “I have a therapist that I speak to. That’s the only way I can get through it.”

Taraji P. Henson founded The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation to fight the stigma surrounding mental health within the Black community and to expand access to Black mental health professionals.

The Grammy-winning artist revealed she began a treatment using MDMA and psilocybin therapy to cope with the effects of both an eating disorder and performance anxiety.

She told Rolling Stone in May 2025 that she was touring without feeling nervous for the first time. She described a strange, shared physical sensation with the audience – almost like a change in air pressure – that felt deeply connected to the music. This experience made her realize how much she thrives on – and even needs – that intense, emotional connection with her listeners to truly feel her music come alive.

She explained that prioritizing her mental well-being and stopping birth control helped her develop a broader understanding of her gender identity.

She explained that she decided to stop taking birth control, feeling like it had disconnected her from a conventional idea of womanhood. It might sound unusual, but she felt liberated from societal expectations of femininity, and believed this newfound freedom allowed her to explore new possibilities.

In 2017, the actress from Riverdale shared on Instagram that she battled serious anxiety and depression in middle school, and that support from her family and a therapist was life-saving. She emphasized the importance of reaching out for help, stating that it’s the first step, and that everyone has immense value.

The singer behind the song “What He Didn’t Do” recently opened up about her experiences living with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) over the past several years.

Carly shared on the Dumb Blonde podcast with Bunnie Xo in August 2025 that her anxiety began around the time of her divorce during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, she also revealed she’s struggled with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder since childhood.

Over the past decade, I became used to suppressing my feelings and handling things on my own. Eventually, a couple of years ago, I realized I needed to go back to therapy and start understanding what was going on. I discovered that my obsessive-compulsive disorder wasn’t something that started recently – it’s actually been present since I was a child, around six or seven years old.

The actress known for Frozen has openly shared her mental health coping strategies for years, both in public speeches and on social media like Instagram.

She encourages people to discover what works best for them, and, as she shared with Health magazine, this could involve things like medication, practicing gratitude by listing ten positive thoughts for every negative one, and regular exercise.

The cookbook author is a mother of four and has bravely shared her experiences with postpartum depression, a condition many new mothers face but often feel unable to discuss.

She explained in a 2017 letter to Glamour that it became simpler to talk about her experience each time she did. Her hope was to show others that this could happen to anyone, and to help those going through it feel less ashamed and less isolated.

While publicizing her book, Mirror, Mirror, the model discussed her teenage struggles with depression and suicidal thoughts in an interview with The Edit magazine. She described feeling a “darkness” within herself during that period.

Cara explained to the publication, as reported by W magazine, that she used to depend on love and other people for her happiness. She realized she needed to learn to find joy on her own, and after a long journey, she finally can. She’s now able to be happy by herself.

Ariana Grande encouraged fans to prioritize their mental health after responding to a joke on Twitter about her own therapy. She shared that therapy has been life-saving for her on multiple occasions.

She encouraged me not to be afraid to ask for help. You don’t have to live with constant pain, and healing from trauma is possible. She admitted she had a long journey ahead, but said simply recognizing that healing is possible is a good first step.

The singer has publicly shared her experiences with addiction, recovery, and mental health, and often incorporates these personal struggles into her songs.

She consistently encourages her followers to prioritize their mental well-being, emphasizing that it’s a continuous effort with inevitable setbacks. She previously shared on Instagram, “Just a reminder for anyone who’s struggling: life has its highs and lows, but it’s important to keep going.”

The actress has both portrayed characters struggling with mental health, like her role as Rue in the show Euphoria, and openly discussed her own personal experiences with these issues.

In 2013, Zendaya shared on her old app that she felt anxious after a talk show appearance on Ellen when her microphone malfunctioned. She’s since found ways to cope with those feelings, explaining that it’s sometimes necessary to take a break to reduce stress.

In a recent interview with WSJ Magazine, the singer openly discussed her struggles with mental health, explaining that she experienced extreme highs and lows that could leave her incapacitated for weeks.

She revealed she’s been dealing with mental health challenges, but finding the right medication has made a huge difference in her life.

The Grammy-winning artist dedicated herself to promoting kindness and openly discussing mental health, sharing her own experiences as well.

In 2018, while accepting a Global Changemakers Award at a Children Mending Hearts fundraiser, she shared that she had long wrestled with whether to talk openly about her mental health. She explained that she firmly believes keeping things hidden actually makes it harder to get better.

Read More

2026-01-15 16:48