Actor and comedian Pete Davidson has been very open about his struggles and his past. Want
to know more about his childhood, his time in rehab and more? Keep watching.
Pete Davidson's life changed forever when his dad, Scott, a firefighter with the FDNY's Ladder 118,
died in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Pete was 7 years old at the time and felt the absence of his father as he got older. However,
in true Davidson fashion, he often uses the tragedy as a punchline. Luckily, those who knew
Scott said he was a big fan of stand-up comedy, so hopefully he would've laughed with his son.
"I have a lot of jokes about it,
and if you don't like the first one, you probably won't like the rest."
Davidson went on to say he is "lucky" his dad died when he was young
because it would've been harder for him to process as an adult.
"Like I remember my dad died and my mom was like, 'Your dad's dead,
but we got you a PlayStation 2.' And I was like, 'Yeah cool. That seems about even.'"
He also paid respect to his dad in his semi-autobiographical movie
"The King of Staten Island." Davidson plays a tattoo artist named after his dad, who is
dealing with the loss of his father and trying to keep his cool after his mom starts dating again.
Pete Davidson has never been one to shy away from talking about his mental health. In fact,
he often uses "Weekend Update" as a platform to share stories,
and of course, jokes, about his struggles. In 2017, he suggested the importance of seeking
medical help and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, before handling it Pete-style.
"If you're in the cast of a late night comedy show,
it might help if they, you know, do more of your sketches."
In 2020, Davidson told Charlamagne Tha God that he still can't shake the feeling,
but does have better coping skills than he once did.
"I'm always depressed all the time. I wake up depressed,
but now I know my steps. I have to go outside and be in sun for a little bit,
or go for a walk. It's all just programming yourself to trick your brain."
Pete Davidson's anxiety, depression, and drug use
has led to multiple trips to rehab for the young comedian. He told Variety,
"I've been in and out of mental health facilities since I was 9.
I tried to drown myself in the pool when I was in the fourth or fifth grade. I was
trying to get my head stuck in the ladder in the deep end, so I would not be able to get up."
His mom, Amy, said she tried to help her son through his
days by bribing him with going to New York City to do stand-up. She said,
"We had a deal! That's how he made it through high school.
He is one of the strongest and bravest people I know."
Davidson's struggles continued in 2018 when he posted a concerning letter on Instagram,
writing that he didn't want to be on this earth anymore, then deleting his account.
This came after he and Ariana Grande broke off their engagement,
and many outlets blame the intense microscope he was under for reaching this breaking point.
Davidson's bestie, Machine Gun Kelly, rushed to be by his side when he saw the post.
Grande reportedly tried to meet up with him, too, but Davidson did not want to see her.
Pete Davidson was diagnosed with Crohn's disease, an inflammatory bowel disease
that affects the lining of the digestive tract, when he was around 18 years old.
Davidson said he was prescribed multiple medicines to help ease the pain of the condition,
but medical marijuana was the only thing that worked. He told High Times in 2016,
"I'd smoke and I'd be able to eat and be able to do my shows.
I wouldn't be able to do 'SNL' if I didn't smoke weed. I wouldn't be able to do anything really.
Me performing not high has gone awful."
In 2016, he went to rehab because he had, quote, "mental breakdowns." He told Marc
Maron on the WTF Podcast that he thought it was the weed, but that wasn't the case.
The doctors in rehab thought he might be bipolar, so they prescribed him medicine to help treat
it. Davidson said he weaned himself off the pills and continued to smoke weed instead.
But that didn't help, either. He then went to a psychiatrist and
was diagnosed with and given medicine for borderline personality disorder.
Pete Davidson is also well-known for being covered in tattoos,
but the reason he started getting tatted may not be why people think.
"I cut my chest. That’s why I started getting tatts on my chest to cover them."
Davidson further explained on Charlamagne Tha God's podcast that it’s like a release for him,
especially when he’s acting very manic and upset. As Davidson's movie career started to take off,
he found himself spending extra time in the makeup chair to cover his tattoos.
In 2021, he made the decision to eventually get them all removed.
He told Seth Meyers that the process isn't only painful because they're burning his skin, but also
because his doctor audibly describes each tattoo to make sure he wants it removed. He shared,
"All of a sudden, I'll just hear, 'Are we keeping the Stewie Griffin smoking a blunt?'"
"And then I have to sit there and be like, 'No, Dr. G,' And he’s like, 'Alright.'"
While Pete Davidson said he does do drugs, a lot of his rehab stints are
to get his head right and find the proper dose of medication. He said,
"I don't think going to rehab is that big of a deal. I think it's a really strong,
powerful thing, and some of the most beautiful, cool people you'll ever meet are there."
In addition, the comedian said he has a good group of friends around him that
aren't afraid to tell him when it's time to seek treatment, as Davidson explained,
"We're at a point where people will come over and be like,
'Hey, we're all ... pissed and terrified.' Not pissed, but like,
'We're all terrified, so you should go.' I got a good group around me."
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please contact the
Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness
helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.