Ashley Monroe Opens Up About Past Overdose in New Interview

Ashley Monroe, the artist, songwriter, and member of the Pistol Annies, is sharing her own personal struggle with pill addiction, overdose, and sobriety in an honest interview. Known for her GRAMMY-nominated album, The Blade, and collaborations with Miranda Lambert and Angaleena Presley, Monroe shared deeply personal details about a perilous period in her life.

"Oh, yeah. I used pain pills off and on for a while. No, I did not rehab. And there was a chapter… because I definitely could have. I mean, looking back, I had OD'ed in LA once."

"My deal was that I mixed things, that's the thing I want people to know now, and always tell people that are younger than me, you know, don't mix things. You don't have to do a lot of things to die, that's why there's so many accidental overdoses. It's not like you have to take a whole bottle of something."

"You can just get one little Xanax, and a little pain pill and a double vodka. I mean, you stop breathing, you know. So that in my life, I was like, no, I'm not gonna go to rehab. I'm not gonna do it anymore. I'm tired of them anyway. I flushed it down the toilet, and I just didn't think about it again."

Her candor drives home the need for awareness and risk-taking associated with substance use and misunderstanding of potential intoxication with medications and alcohol. Monroe reiterated that even small quantities can lead to accidental overdose.

In 2021, Monroe received a diagnosis of the rare blood cancer Waldenström macroglobulinemia. After going through chemotherapy, Monroe proudly announced she was in remission. While it's not known if her former substance use is related to her health problems, she continues to forge ahead with her career and has just released her album, Tennessee Lightning.

Monroe's story highlights the peril of addiction and the power she has found to move on. This is not only a new chapter in Monroe's story, but she's doing it honestly with her music and her story.