Elle King reveals battle with substance abuse and depression: 'It does get better'
Elle King is opening up about depression and substance abuse on her new album, "Shake the Spirit."
The "Ex's & Oh's" singer appeared live on "Good Morning America" Tuesday, revealing that music and family got her through the tough times.
"I was really struggling and I was definitely at the lowest point in my life last year and my band...they were there for me and they could see I was at my happiest when I was playing music, just expressing myself and so we made this album and it really just turned my life around," King said.
In 2015, King met Andrew Ferguson, whom she secretly wed after only three weeks. King said the relationship began to spiral out out of control and she turned to substance abuse to mask her emotions.
After she and her husband separated, King made a change by reconnecting with loved ones and reconciling with her father, actor Rob Schneider.
"My dad called me last year and he was like, 'what's going on?' and I told him," King said. "He said, 'what do you need?' I said, 'I need parents, I just need my family.'"
She went on, "[We] reconnected and he's got two little girls, my little sisters, and it's so important for me to show them that you can be yourself...and you can celebrate your individuality and your differences and you can be anything you want in the world."
King also credits her mom for being one of her biggest support systems.
"I love her so much and I wouldn't be the person I am without her," she said.
King hopes her story helps others who may be struggling with depression.
"It does get better and so I want to talk about it and take away the stigma of it and show people that there is a way to get better," she said. "You can ask for help and you can reach out and start the conversation and it's important and it saved my life."
She added, "Hopefully if I talk about it more, maybe it will make someone else feel that it's OK to talk about it too."
"Shake the Spirit" is out now.
