Lily Allen Finds Strength in Seeking Professional Help for Despair

In a new interview, singer-songwriter Lily Allen, 40, opened up about her recent mental health struggles and decision to seek treatment. According to the article, Allen went to a treatment facility after the breakdown of her four-year marriage to ex-husband David Harbour, which was confirmed in February of this year.

Allen shared that she has been to such facilities before, but this time it felt like progress. "I've been into those places before against my will and I feel like that's progress in itself," she told the outlet. "That's strength." The "Trigger Bang" musician explained that the "feelings of despair" she was experiencing were simply too extreme for her to manage on her own. "The last time that I felt anything like that, drugs and alcohol were my way out, so it was excruciating to sit with those [feelings] and not use them," she said.

Since seeking treatment, Allen has been working with a sponsor, attending daily meetings, and welcoming meditation, therapy, and antidepressants into her life. She said this has helped her avoid relapsing with substance abuse. While Allen wrote about her personal struggles for her upcoming fifth studio album, she insists she has "come a long way" from the lowest moments and is "really not in the same space" as when she penned those songs.