RuPaul’s Drag Race star Katya had ‘total psychotic break from reality’ on crystal meth
NEW YORK, NY – AUGUST 23: Katya attends the “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” season two premiere at Crosby Street Hotel on August 23, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/WireImage)
RuPaul’s Drag Race star Katya Zamolodchikova, real name Brian McCook, has revealed he was forced into rehab after relapsing on crystal meth.
McCook says he has now completed his time in rehab where he suffered a “complete and total psychotic break from reality” due to the drug, commonly known as ‘Tina’.
The 35-year-old took several months out of professional life due to mental health challenges, but did not reveal until now that it was due to drug addiction.
Speaking on the podcast Whimsically Volatile with Craig MacNeil he explained that he was having “hallucinations, visions and auditory hallucinations that took place in the form of God” after relapsing.
Drag queen Katya Zamolodchikova (Photo by Ben Gabbe/Getty Images)
The Drag Race star said: “I couldn’t tell what was real or not real. I thought it was just a drug problem. No, mama.
“I almost had a restraining order put upon me by someone who shall remain nameless, because he’s a wonderful man and I care very much about him.
“And then I almost socked it to another person who shall also remain nameless because I care very much about them.
“This was rock bottom. In fact, if you have a wagon wheel watusi… you have the bottom of the barrel, I was the sludge under the barrel.”
(Photo by Santiago Felipe/Getty Images for Logo)
“People tried to call me a genius. I was like, ‘no, I don’t know what’s real anymore’. It was a psychotic break from reality.”
He checked into Serenity Care Centre in Arizona where he received treatment for the crystal meth addiction and mental health difficulties.
McCook said that the drag act was over due to a lack of pay and sleep, however earlier this week it was revealed Katya is to return to performing.
With an image of Catwoman, Katya wrote: “The Bitch is Back”.
Katya opened up about mental health in an Instagram live stream several months ago.
Opening up about his mental health struggle he wrote online: “I’m telling you this with a sense of urgency. I’m not dying. Let me tell you the truth.
The Bitch is Back. pic.twitter.com/PjsjJBbDQI
— Katya (@katya_zamo) March 18, 2018
“I’m not dying, I want to live,” he said on Instagram Live in an open letter spoken entirely in French.
“I’m a drug addict, but I’m sober. Today, and yesterday. And before. But I need to take a vacation because I want to survive like Gloria Gaynor.”
It now turns out he had not been sober at the time.
Drag queen Katya Zamolodchikova (Photo by Ben Gabbe/Getty Images)
Explaining the reason for quitting drag he said: “I’m a language student first, an artist second, a drag queen third. Health is the most important thing for me.”
He added: “I need to take a vacation because I’m tired, I’m exhausted, my brain doesn’t work anymore, because of the drugs, because of all the gigs, I believe you will understand.
“We’ll see, and I wish you a good day. Bye bye.”
