Meet Bryan Abrams
Bryan Abrams is a multi-platinum award-winning singer who is best known for his role in the R&B group Color Me Badd. The group rose to the top of the charts in the 90s with songs like “I Wanna Sex You Up,” “I Adore Mi Amor,” and “All 4 Love.” As the group rose to fame and sold millions of records, Bryan dealt with some serious private battles—including depression, an eating disorder, and drinking too much. After several attempts to get better, Bryan found a rehab center that helped him address his mental health and substance abuse issues. Now he’s speaking out about his experiences with the mental health system. Bryan is launching his solo career, and he’s determined to stay healthy sober while he does it.
Why Bryan Abrams Is Mentally Strong
Bryan chose to make his private struggles public. He even went on the “Dr. Phil” television show to talk about his problems. On the show, he accepted treatment at a rehab center. Bryan is open about the fact that, although treatment was helpful, his journey is far from over. He says that working on his eating disorder and his substance abuse issues has caused him to address the mental health issues he was trying to mask with his addictions. He acknowledges that speaking out about his struggles has helped him stay accountable so he can maintain his sobriety. Now he wants to encourage others who are struggling to seek help.
What You’ll Hear on the Show
When Bryan’s eating disorder started How he slowly developed a problem with alcohol Why several treatment attempts did not work for him in the past What finally made him decide to get help again How COVID impacted his mental health and substance use How he found an inpatient rehab center that worked for him What makes some inpatient treatment centers better than others The types of treatment he continues to receive The biggest barriers to getting help What he’s noticed about his mental health since getting sober The advice he has for anyone out there who may be struggling with an addiction or mental health problem How to find the best help for yourself
What You’ll Learn About Mental Health and Mental Strength
If someone goes into the hospital to get surgery or to address a serious physical health issue, no one sees that as a sign of weakness. Unfortunately, however, there can be a stigma attached to getting help for a mental health issue or a substance abuse problem. Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. And Bryan acknowledges that it took a lot of courage for him to acknowledge that he couldn’t manage his substance use and mental health issues on his own.
Quotes From Bryan
“That whole AA thing is not a joke. When you become selfless, then you can start to get sober. Then you can start to find happiness.” “There are bad things that you’ve been through, bad things you’ve done. You feel horrible about it. But to flip it around and turn it into something good, all you have to do is just be willing to share. Be willing to share some of the madness that you went through for so many years and touch someone.” “I drank the day I got out after six months. That’s craziness. That’s madness. That’s the madness of alcoholism.” “It’s a lot of fun getting sober and working on new projects and going through writing and recording sober. I tell my kids and my wife all the time that sobriety is my new high.” “There are people that are going to be looking for inspiration, but there are also going to be a lot of people looking to see me fail. And I would be lying if I didn’t say that lit a fire under me too because I want to prove to everybody that thought I was going to fail that I can do this.”
More About the Podcast
The Verywell Mind Podcast is available across all streaming platforms. If you like the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Reviews and ratings are a great way to encourage other people to listen and help them prioritize their mental health too. If You Liked This Episode, You Might Also Like These Episodes
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