Kelly Clarkson bravely confesses anti-depressant usage during emotional divorce

Kelly Clarkson opened up about her personal struggle during her divorce from Brandon Blackstock, sharing for the first time how anti-depressants played a crucial role in her emotional journey.

In a candid conversation on the Las Culturistas podcast hosted by Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, Clarkson, also the charming host of The Kelly Clarkson Show, revealed a point when her emotional turmoil became unbearable. 

“I looked at my therapist and I just couldn’t stop sobbing, and I was like, ‘I actually had to cancel some of the other day because I couldn’t stop crying. I cannot do this,’ ” she recounted.

This cathartic moment led to Clarkson seeking medicinal help, temporarily putting aside any reservations. “I was on Lexapro for like, I think two months,” she confided in Rogers and Yang. 

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In her despair, she expressed: “I just can’t smile anymore for America right now. I’m not happy and I need help.” Reflecting on this decision, she firmly affirmed that it was “the greatest decision ever. I wouldn’t have made it [without it].”

Kelly, 41, and Brandon, 46, tied the knot in 2013, but their marital journey ended with Clarkson filing for divorce in 2020. 

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The proceedings concluded in March 2022. Together, they are parents to a nine-year-old daughter, River Rose, and a seven-year-old son, Remington “Remy” Alexander. These personal upheavals not only led Kelly to seek therapeutic help but also became a profound inspiration for her latest album, Chemistry.

In another podcast appearance, this time on the Audacy Check-In, Kelly shared a lighter note about her children’s interest in her music – for the quirky reason of being allowed to sing curse words. 

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The Grammy-winning singer relayed a comical incident when her daughter wanted to sing her hit song ‘Whole Lotta Woman’, which features a curse word. She remarked, “But she wanted to say ‘a–‘ really. She was like, ‘Can I sing ‘a–?’ And I was like, ‘Only with me.’ “

Ahead of her album release, Kelly visited TODAY, where she revealed a poignant exchange with her ex-husband about the content of the album. 

She explained: “I don’t even remember why or how it happened, but I was like, ‘Hey, I didn’t just diminish us down to one [thing].’ You know what I’m saying? It’s all in there, the ride. The beauty is in there, as well. Now there’s a lot of pain, but that’s what happens for all of us.”

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Kelly’s music has always been deeply personal, a quality she emphasized, saying “I’ve always released personal music — I think I’m that kind of writer in general, everybody knows that.” 

With her latest album Chemistry, she continued that tradition while carefully balancing her responsibility as a mother. 

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“I think when you have kids — you both have kids, too — you kind of debate, ‘What am I going to do here?’ So I was very selective about the songs I picked for the album.” she added.