Jackie O Henderson opens up about drug addiction she says was ‘38 pills a day’ at lowest point

Following her bombshell drug addiction revelations last month radio star host Jackie “O” Henderson has revealed the full extent of her three-year struggle with painkillers, sleeping pills, and alcohol.

The co-host of KIIS FM’s Kyle and Jackie O Show said she was consuming up to 24 codeine tablets daily at the height of her addiction, as well as 14 sleeping pills, all washed down with alcohol.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Jackie O bravely shares drug addiction.

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The alarming details have come after Henderson released her memoir last month describing her years of addiction and declaring she would donate profits to Odyssey House, Australia’s largest drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre.

Speaking on the Mental As Anyone podcast, she admitted: “I don’t know how I survived that”.

Henderson added that doctors warned the sleeping tablets alone could have been fatal.

“I really feel like someone was watching over me,” she said, reflecting on how her body had built up a tolerance to the medication.

Jackie O Henderson. Credit: Sunrise

She told podcast host Jonathon Moran she was taking “38 pills a day” at her lowest point.

“I am (lucky to be alive) I mean, that’s a lot of sleeping pills just for a start.”

Her harrowing journey saw her admit herself to the Betty Ford Clinic in 2022, where she enrolled in a 28-day, 12-step program to combat her addiction.

Henderson revealed it took her a long time to feel ready to share her story publicly, stating she wanted to wait until she was “sturdy enough” in her recovery to avoid any relapse under the weight of public scrutiny.

“My life is so much better being sober. I can’t imagine ever wanting to go back there,” she said.

While Henderson has received an outpouring of support, she also faced criticism for not addressing the fact that many Australians could not afford the same level of care.

Jackie O with her new memoir The Whole Truth. Credit: jackieo/Instagram

In response, the radio star announced she would donate 100 per cent of the profits from her new memoir, The Whole Truth, to Odyssey House.

“Since sharing my story, I’ve been deeply moved by the messages I’ve received from people facing similar challenges but unable to afford rehab,” she said in an Instagram post on October 28.

“I was fortunate enough to have access to treatment, and I recognise how privileged that makes me.”

Henderson’s memoir details her battle with addiction and how she kept it a secret for years, even from close friends and colleagues.

Co-host Kyle Sandilands only learnt of her ordeal when she shared it publicly during a live broadcast by reading parts of her memoir.

The radio personality said she had mixed feelings about sharing her story, but ultimately wanted to use her experience to help others.

Wiping away tears, she told listeners, “I’m not crying because I’m ashamed, I’m crying because I kept this in for so long … saying this out loud is scary.”

Jackie O Henderson shares her story. Credit: kyleandjackieo/Instagram

During her addiction, Henderson said she felt “diminished, untethered and alone”.

“By that point, I had no self-esteem, so I was insecure, vulnerable, and heartbroken,” she read on the show last month.

“It was a recipe for disaster, and I took the coward’s way out to escape those feelings.”

Only a very small group of friends knew of Henderson’s struggles, explaining on-air in October that she “didn’t want anyone to know until I had at least gotten a year or more of sobriety under my belt”.

“I can only speak to my experience because my addiction is so different to anyone else’s.

“But people can ask me anything they want, and I’m OK with that. I brought this up, I put it out there myself, so I’m well and truly OK talking about it. I’m excited that I can be more authentic than I’ve ever been.”