Justin Moore Says His Drinking Spiraled Into a ‘Vicious Cycle’ During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Justin Moore is sharing more details about his decision to get sober, and the "vicious cycle" of drinking that began during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Man, COVID — as it did a lot of folks, I've learned over the past month — it screwed me up, man," the singer admits during a new interview on 103.7 The Buzz's Morning Mayhem show. "The stress and the pressure and the anxiety from, you know, worrying about paying my crew and band and all that. It's not an excuse, I'm just telling you what the reasons for me are."

Read More: Justin Moore Reveals He's Sober After a Break From Touring

• Justin Moore announced his sobriety last Thursday (July 9) during his first show back after a tour break.
• He'd taken a month off touring for health reasons, but didn't get more specific until his return.
• Moore said he completed a 30-day program at a rehab center.

Why Did Justin Moore Get Sober?

Moore had been drinking alcohol without addiction issues for his entire adult life, he says, but the COVID-19 pandemic pushed him toward a "vicious cycle that I could not break out of."

At first, he made a few attempts at quitting or curbing his drinking without help. "I'd go a couple months and fall off the wagon or whatever," he said. He said that part of that was coming to a point where he wanted to get sober for himself — not just because he wanted to do it for the sake of his family and friends.

Read More: These Country Stars Are Better Because They Got Sober

Then, eventually, something clicked, and he knew he needed to get help.

"I just came home one night from off the road and told [my wife] Kate, 'I gotta do something. 'Cause this is not who I wanna be. It's not who I am as a person, and I'm just not happy with myself."

That's when he went to rehab, and Moore says that his wife and kids have supported him every step of the way. He's felt that support from his band, crew and fans, too, with crowds cheering for him as he announced his sobriety when he returned to the stage.

Why Did Justin Moore Announce His Sobriety?

The singer says he wasn't sure if sobriety was something he'd talk about publicly, and admits that he only decided to announce his news onstage "two or three minutes" before he did it.

"I've been really honest with my fanbase for my entire career, which is part of the reason I've had a career in music, a successful one, you know what I mean?" he says of that decision.

How Is Justin Moore Doing After Getting Sober?

Moore says he's happy, grateful and eager to help others who are going through their own battles with alcohol.

"I thank God that he put that on my heart," the singer reflects. "It's like when I got saved 30 years ago. It's such a weight lifted off your shoulders when you go, 'You know what, I'm an alcoholic. I got problems. And that's okay.'"

"It's okay not to be okay," he continues. "I've learned that over the past five weeks."

At the time of the interview, which published June 14, Moore was 36 days sober, and he says that for him, that's "a heck of a lot."

"I feel like myself for the first time in a long time, in a year or more, and I'm actually proud of myself for the first time in a year or two."