Doja Cat opens up about cocaine and alcohol struggles early in her career
By Katemarthason Okudo, September 2, 2026American singer Doja Cat has opened up about her past cocaine use and her struggles with alcohol, revealing that substance use affected her mental health during the early years of her career.
The Grammy-winning artiste, whose real name is Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, spoke about her past in a series of TikTok videos shared on September 1, 2026.
Doja Cat, said she had struggled with cocaine use about eight years ago but has since moved away from it.
“I have struggled with cocaine, could’ve been like eight years ago. But I’m well past that, thank God,” Doja Cat said.
Doja Cat on alcohol and mental health
While she said drugs have not been a major problem for her apart from marijuana, the singer admitted that alcohol has been different.
She explained that drinking contributed to negative thoughts about herself and made her pay more attention to criticism directed at her online.
“The best example for my experience is using the internet as a means of validation to the negative thoughts in my head, which were then brought on by drinking alcohol,” Doja Cat said.
She was also keen to clarify that she had never considered herself an alcoholic, despite acknowledging that alcohol had become a problem for her.
“I’ve never had a real problem with drugs, except for weed, but alcohol is something that I definitely have had a problem with,” she said.
Doja Cat also spoke about the connection between social media, mental health and the way people respond to negative comments online. She said undiagnosed or untreated mental health struggles can become harder to manage when combined with constant exposure to social media.
She speaks about self-image
The singer also addressed claims from some fans that she was struggling with self-hate and was not proud of being a Black woman.
Doja Cat, who is biracial, said her feelings about herself began at a young age. She linked the experience to moving to a predominantly white neighbourhood when she was about eight years old.
“I think I hated myself since I was, could have been like 8 years old. And that was when I moved to my predominantly white neighbourhood,” she said.
Her comments came as she reflected on how her upbringing and experiences had shaped the way she viewed herself.
Doja Cat previously spoke about mental health
The singer has previously discussed her mental health struggles. In March 2026, she spoke about her experience with borderline personality disorder, describing it as an agonising experience.
Borderline personality disorder can affect how a person relates to themselves and other people, as well as how they manage emotions.
Doja Cat said she decided to speak openly about her experiences because she felt she needed to express what she had been carrying. “I just felt like this TikTok was necessary and I need to get this off of my chest. Today felt like the right day,” she said.