Backstreet Boys’ AJ McLean Opens Up About Sobriety After Relapse

AJ McLean is happier and more healthy than ever — and hoping to remain that manner.

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 Individuals printed 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 go sober a number of instances. Regardless of a number of relapses, the singer advised the outlet he’s decided for his sobriety to final this time round.

“I’m sticking this one out all the way in which. It’s a day by day factor. However I’ve lastly achieved what has been prompt amongst the sober group, and my life has flipped in a optimistic manner,” McLean advised Individuals.

He added {that a} earlier journey to Arizona was massively 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 bit deeper into my very own existence and actually get to the basis of why I did the issues I did to harm myself and those I cherished,” he added.

McLean added that he’s been in a position to work on his low vanity points in addition to separate his identification and self-worth from being based mostly solely on his ties to his boy band.

“I’ve found new verbiage, comparable to boundaries, by no means actually had these. Now I’ve these, which is a blessing. AJ is a member of a bunch. He’s a persona, however he doesn’t outline me as a person. Alexander James is who I’m,” he continued.

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 means of.

Talking to Us Weekly, McLean divulged that he referred to as his sponsor after he discovered in regards to the One Course singer’s loss of life.

“I used to be actually on a Zoom name with my crew,” McLean, 47, advised Us earlier this month. “My supervisor advised me what had occurred, and I used to be like, ‘Guys, I bought to get off the decision. I’m sorry. I’ll meet up with you later.’ I simply, form of, sat there.”

McLean stated he “referred to as [his] sponsor” first earlier than making an attempt to get in contact with fellow 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 had 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 youngsters Elliot, 12, and Lyric, 8, with ex-wife Rochelle McLean, beforehand revealed to Individuals 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 evening, ‘You don’t scent like my daddy.’ And when she stated that to me, that was it. Sufficient stated. I felt disgusting,” he stated.

If you happen to or somebody you recognize suffers from habit points, name the Substance Abuse and Psychological Well being Companies Administration’s Nationwide Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.