Radio host Jackie “O” Henderson has opened up about a secret drug addiction and her subsequent recovery in a vulnerable statement on air.
On Tuesday morning, Jackie took to the airwaves to speak candidly about struggles with an addiction to alcohol, painkillers and sleeping pills two years ago — a secret she kept from most people in her life, including her other professional half Kyle Sandilands.
Thankfully, after a month-long stay in the Betty Ford Centre in Palm Springs, California, Jackie managed to kick her addiction.
The 49-year-old revealed her addiction struggles ahead of her memoir, Jackie O: The Whole Truth, which is due to be released October 29.
“I was scared to tell people and say this out loud, I know people will look at me differently and love me,” she said.
“I was in a really, really dark place.
“I had no self-esteem, so I was insecure, vulnerable, and heartbroken. It was a recipe for disaster, and I took the coward’s way out to escape those feelings.”
Jackie revealed that her struggles with addiction began more than 15 years ago after being prescribed painkillers for endometriosis. After recognising that she was taking a bit too much, she stopped. However, after her divorce in 2018, she found herself turning back to the drugs.
“I went back to it as a way to kind of go to some happy place, and it was a way of escaping and it was so the wrong thing to do,” she said.
Sadly for Jackie, the isolation brought on by the COVID-19 lockdowns only made things worse.
“The dosage started to creep up more and more and it got extreme and I was averaging about 24 Panadeine Forte a day and then I was averaging about 10 to 12 Stilnox [sleeping tablets],” she said.
“Someone was watching over me because I don’t know how I woke up most days with that kind of dosage.”
According to the Therapeutic Goods Administration, Stilnox should not be taken with alcohol.
After a tearful admission to her best friend Gemma O’Neill, Jackie was encouraged to go into the rehab facility — a move which she credits with saving her life.
Although coming clean about her struggles with addiction has been a long, hard process for the radio star, she says it’s a relief to be her most authentic self with the public and happy to answer questions about her journey.
“I can only speak to my experience because my addiction is so different to anyone else’s,” she said.
“People can ask me anything they want, and I’m OK with that. I brought this up, I put it out there myself, so I’m well and truly OK talking about it. I’m excited that I can be more authentic than I’ve ever been.”
As for why she kept her addiction a secret from her wider circle and the public, Jackie admitted she wanted to wait until she knew she was strong enough in her sobriety to confront it head-on.
“I just didn’t want anyone to know until I had at least gotten a year or more of sobriety under my belt,” she said.
After sharing her story, Jackie apologised to the Kylie And Jackie O listeners.
“I want to apologise to our listeners and everyone in my life,” she said.
“I just needed to concentrate on that part first, that recovery.”
Although we may feel like our favourite media personalities like Jackie O are our pals thanks to all the info they willingly share about their lives, let’s not forget that they don’t owe us anything. The stigma around addiction is still very real, and it was incredibly brave for Jackie to share her story and be so vulnerable on air.
We’re proud of you, Jackie.
If you need mental health support, or support involving substance misuse and addiction, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or chat online.
You can also reach the Alcohol Drug Information Service at 1800 250 015 or chat online.
You can find helplines and resources at DrinkWise.
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