British singer-songwriter Nadine Shah has said that her decision to go to rehab in 2022 turned out to be “the best thing I ever did”.
She is presently writing a memoir about her time in rehab.
Talking about the same, she told a publication, “I was ashamed about being there. There was shame in being a woman who was an addict, whereas male musicians might have been revered for it.”
Shah continued, “One of the reasons we can’t get many women into recovery is because of the stigma.”
Describing her experience of rehab as “beautiful,” the singer said, “I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so much in my life as I did in that place.”
She revealed that they had a sports day. “I won every race. People there were so ill they could hardly walk, never mind run,” she added.
The singer said that her stint in the rehab kept her away from social media, which was very liberating.
“You’re not searching your own name. We played parlour games. I did a lot of Zumba. I also learned how to pick locks. There are a lot of criminals in there,” she said.
She also revealed that many of the people she befriended in rehab are now dead. She paid tribute to them on the single “Twenty Things”.
On leaving rehab, she felt sturdier. “In the past, I wouldn’t be able to do an interview or a show without having a drink. I didn’t realise how difficult I found it to exist within this industry, being quite an awkward, shy person,” she said.
