Zach Bryan opened up about his sobriety and mental health in a vulnerable post on Instagram on Tuesday evening (November 18).
Bryan, 29, said he went on a cross-country motorcycle trip for 20 days, and “at the end of this ride, I was sitting in a parking lot in Seattle, Washington thinking, ‘I really need some f***ing help.’ Being in the military for a decade and then thrown into a spotlight that I hadn’t fully comprehended the scope of, had some subconscious effects on me as a person,” he wrote. “I was not content but I also feared showing weakness because that’s not who I am or how I was raised. to charge forward and to never settle was the motto.”
The “I Remember Everything” artist said he was “stuck in perpetual discontent,” and was “always reaching for alcohol, not for the taste, but because there was a consistent black hole in me always needing its void filled. …I was having earth-shattering panic attacks. The anxiety I felt was paralyzing and I thought since I was successful, had the money I always longed for, and had great friends, that I could tough anything out.
“All that said: I went out of my way to find a therapist and made the conscious decision to do something about my toxic relationship with booze and how I cope with major life changes,” Bryan wrote, revealing he’s been sober for about two months. “My family supported every step I took. Conversations about the future, kids one day, my health and Sammy’s happiness made me prioritize not only myself, but my entire family.
“I feel great, I feel content, I feel whole. There is nothing I need to get me by anymore. If you or any of your friends are too tough, too scared or too stubborn to reach out, know that the most stubborn dumba** on the planet did and didn’t regret it,” Bryan said. “I don’t believe in absolutes. One day maybe, I’ll learn to control my habits, but for now; I just want to say it is okay to be weak at times and need help. God speed everyone! I pray this helps somebody.”
Bryan added in his caption: “In no way is this a greater than thou sentiment and I’m aware I am one of the luckiest men alive. I pray people don’t take this as me taking my blessings for granted. I wanted to share this because I feel like a lot of people go through mental struggles at times and feel alone in them, which leads plenty to suffer in silence.
“I hope it helps someone struggling to find words when they’re down on their luck.”