When it comes to mental health struggles, Nicky Jam is one of the Latino celebrities who has been more candid about his experience. The singer has spoken publicly about his difficult past in which drugs and depression played a major role.

Nicky Jam, whose real name is Nick Rivera Caminero, is one of the most influential stars of the urban genre. Born in Massachusetts, United States, the son of a Puerto Rican father and a Dominican mother, Nicky Jam did not have an easy childhood. At the age of ten, he was forced to move to Puerto Rico with his father in a desperate act to be able to support the family financially.

Jam’s career took off in the early 00’s when he released his first studio album titled ‘Haciendo Escante,’ and then he would jump to fame when he participated with Daddy Yankee in his album titled ‘El cangri.com.’ In early 2004, Nicky Jam’s internal struggles became evident, and his excesses with harmful substances had a strong impact on his professional life.

How Nicky Jam overcame his addictions

After a sharp musical decline due to substance abuse, the reggaeton star’s physical and mental health were also severely affected. After an altercation with his mentor Daddy Yankee, the collapse of his career no longer allowed him to get work as before. This affected his mental health so much that he came to suffer a strong depression and neglected his body health.

Nicky Jam decided to go to Colombia in 2007 to fight his internal problems, rehabilitate himself and be able to focus on his work. In an interview with Billboard, Jam talks about how his addictions took him to the lowest point of his life and that he only sang where he was not recognized so he could make some money and indulge himself in his harmful habits.

Colombia was vital for the singer because they opened the doors and appreciated his art. This helped him recover his self-confidence and have the impulse he needed to want to be a better person. Thanks to his efforts and the help of his father, Nicky Jam was able to overcome his addiction and work on his battle with depression. Today he is one of the most influential stars in the urban genre and has won international recognition, working with some of the most recognized artists in the music scene.

Mental health and substance abuse

According to the American Addiction Center, as the Latino community grows in the United States, so do the percentages of people who suffer from substance abuse and therefore suffer from some type of mental illness. The connection between the two is critical, as substance abuse can lead to changes in parts of the brain that are particularly vulnerable to certain mental conditions, according to a study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.