Chiara de Blasio, New York City major Bill de Blasio's 19-year-old daughter, opened up regarding her battle with drug abuse and clinical depression just days before her newly-elected father officially takes office.
The video released on Tuesday by the NYC mayor's transition team showed Chiara de Blasio speaking about her experiences. The teen shared that she had abused marijuana and alcohol in order to combat clinical anxiety and depression before getting the right treatment and sobering up.
"Every kid who grows up in New York grows up pretty fast," the NYC mayor's daughter said in the five-minute recording. "It made it easier the more I drank and did drugs to share some common ground with people I wouldn't have."
Chiara de Blasio said that she had to use "fake rationale" in an attempt to justify her abuse of marijuana and alcohol. The 19-year-old shared that when she told herself she wouldn't drink, she would smoke weed instead and vice versa and described the experience as "kind of like bartering for equally bad outcomes."
De Blasio shared that she was referred to outpatient treatment by her personal therapist and that her treatment coincided with her father Bill de Blasio's campaign for mayor.
"My mom was trying really hard to help me," the NYC mayor's daughter shared. "My dad was doing the same, but obviously he was very busy. But they were both very emotionally committed to try and figure out some way to get me better."
In the video, Chiara de Blasio encouraged other people like her to seek proper hep and treatment.
De Blasio said that removing harmful substances such as alcohol and marijuana from her life "opened so many doors" for her and allowed her to help her dad by taking an active role in his mayoral campaign.
The 19-year-old's parents Bill and Chirlane de Blasio said in an official statement that their daughter displayed maturity and wisdom beyond her years by speaking out and that they are thankful for Chiara's commitment in helping others going through the same experiences.
As the first NYC Democratic mayor in almost 20 years, Bill de Blasio won over Republican Joe Lhota in a landslide victory last November. De Blasio's official term as mayor will begin in January 1.
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