Kerry Katona discusses pregnancy and addiction

Brit singer and TV presenter Kerry Katona spoke out against rumors claiming she used drugs, despite being twelve weeks pregnant. The former Atomic Kitten behaved erratically during a recent interview on the UK’s GMTV. Rumors swirled that Kerry was a “cokehead,” which Kerry vehemently denied.

Click below for the interview highlights.

Kerry claimed her manic behavior is a direct effect of her bi-polar disorder:

It’sthe bi-polar. I’m often up and down. I think that’s why some peoplethink I’m on coke. One minute you’re “Grrrrrr!’ then the next you’redown. I find it sick that people think I’d take drugs while pregnant.

Kerry and husband Mark Croft suffered a tough year: a home invasion, rumors of marriage difficulties, and a near miscarriage; despite the difficulties, Kerry affirmed the family, including daughters Heidi Elizabeth, 9 months, Molly Marie, 6, and Lilly-Sue, 4, is great.

I haven’t had a turbulent year, everything’s been fine. I’m dead happy. I’m happier than Larry, whoever Larry is.

Kerry addressed her near-miscarriage last September, admitting it was “horrible.”

Thebaby scare was horrible. I didn’t want people to know I was pregnant soearly but someone phoned the hospital pretending to be me and found out.

The next thing I know I’m bleeding heavily and when I had a scan it looked like there was nothing there.

I was told there was an 80% chance I’d miscarried. I was crying,thinking we’d lost the baby but Mark was convinced it was still there.I went back a few days later for another scan and there it was, thisbeautiful heartbeat.

Kerry, 27, admitted to oneproblem she struggles with daily: an addiction to cigarettes. Althoughher pregnancy is fragile, she can’t quit.

I’m trying my best to give up but I wouldn’t say I’ve totally quit — I’ll have the odd one now and then.

Told she’s been exposed for smoking while pregnant in a weeklymagazine, she rolls her eyes at the gossip stories she attracts on adaily basis.

All I ever read is “Kerry’s a cokehead!” and ‘Badmother Kerry went on honeymoon without her kids!’ Next week it’ll be,“Kerry, Queen of the Chavs” caravanning holiday!

The way I see it, if my life seems so troubled and cheers people up then I’ve done a good deed.

Kerry stressed this might be her last child: she and Mark hope for their first boy.

Being an only child and being brought up in foster care, all I ever wanted was a family.

If this one is a boy I will stop. We’d both like a boy, but if heor she is anything like Heidi we’ll be delighted – she’s so good. Idon’t even know I’ve got her.

Source: Mirror

Comments

malibustacey on October 26th, 2007

I sincerely hope Kerry is not using drugs during this pregnancy. But having watched the interview live, I have to say I have serious doubts. Lots of people criticise Kerry for ‘selling her soul’ to the magazines, but in her defense she has an extremely difficult childhood and I can understand her wanting to grab every last £ while she can… But using drugs whilst pregnant is something else, and I strongly suspect she needs help.

Syl on October 26th, 2007

I loved her when she still was with Brian.

But now it looks like her life is only about being famous, smoking, alcohol and drugs. Its about time that she is acting like a adult and think of her children.

MEME on October 26th, 2007

Unreal. My husband and I have been trying for years to have baby and have made our lives and bodies healthier to no avail and this woman has pregnancy after pregnancy with no regard to her unborn children.

Even if she isn’t on drugs, she HAS admitted to continuing to smoke with all her pregnancies.

niki on October 26th, 2007

kerry is not on drugs fcukin leave er alone she ent on drugs

MissAllisonJenny on October 26th, 2007

I find it offensive that Kerry is pretending she has bipolar disorder. Anyone who watched the interview can tell she is on something.

Harley on October 26th, 2007

I never really paid attention to Kerry or her group, etc. But, if she has bi-polar disorder, depending on the severity of it, it can definitely make someone look like a coke head. Hell, I’m ADHD and people swear I’m on speed half the time. Once this munchkin is born, hopefully she’ll get back on her meds and get a bit more under control. Give the girl a break, bi-polar is not an easy life especially when you have everything going on that she has.

Lola on October 26th, 2007

Yes, the situation is very sad. I was sure she has admitted to bigger issues than she is in this interview AND many people have reported what they have seen her do, pregnant and with her children. It’s sad. I wish instead of keep having children, she would get her problems, addictions and behaviours sorted. I feel very very bad for the children she already has…

M on October 26th, 2007

I feel bad for her. Bipolar is an awful disorder. My dad had it and often, during his manic phases, he would appear to be on drugs. Part of the disorder includes the desire to “self-medicate” though, which makes it very easy to become addicted. Interestingly, because of how bipolar and a few other mental illnesses (including ADHD) affect the brain, people with these disorders appear to function better while on certain substances (like alcohol and cocaine) b/c the drugs help them to focus to a certain extent (a very diff. effect than most people would get taking the drug). Of course the drugs still have a lot of horrible effects too, and shouldn’t be used as a substitute for real medication (didn’t want anyone to think I was advocating that!). I was just trying to explain that it can be harder to tell if someone with bipolar is on drugs and how hard it can be for them to quit if they are on drugs.

If Kerry is still using, I hope that she is able and willing to get help to quit, for the sake of her health and her baby’s health.

Ericka on October 26th, 2007

She’s an attention wh*re. I can’t stand her but I wish her the best with her pregnancy. I HIGHLY doubt she isn’t using…she is NOT bi-polar.

meg on October 26th, 2007

“I find it offensive that Kerry is pretending she has bipolar disorder. Anyone who watched the interview can tell she is on something.”

missallisonjenny – there is no pretence. she has never hidden the fact that she has bipolar. its always been common knowledge.

miranda on October 26th, 2007

“The baby scare was horrible. I didn’t want people to know I was pregnant so early but someone phoned the hospital pretending to be me and found out.”

What? Wasn’t she like 3 or 5 weeks pregnant when she ANNOUNCED it herself? Since when did someone phone the hospital pretending to be her???

Astrid on October 26th, 2007

CBB always seems to delete my comments but here goes: from the UK, no one doubts Kerry when she states she has bipolar disorder. However, she is the mother to three little girls, none of whom have been the “miracle drug” she hoped would get her clean. She keeps having babies, keeps smoking and drinking during the pregnancies and then feigns surprise when people point the finger back at her. As someone who has previously fought mental disorders in the past (severe depression and anorexia/bulimia) I find it extremely distasteful for Kerry Katona to continue to blame her inability to stop drinking and drugging on her mental condition. She only has herself to blame at this point. I’ve been on drugs for people with bipolar disorder and they certainly do not make people behave in the way Kerry claims it has made her act. She refuses to be tested for drugs by the way.

Sarah’s note: We didn’t receive any previous comments from you on this post if you posted under ‘Astrid.’

frank on October 26th, 2007

she is soooo pretty…

http://www.xtremegadgets.net

Annoynomus on October 26th, 2007

Miranda- She probably annouced it that early because of whoever it was that had called the hospital pretending to be her. Obviously, she figured she’d better just tell the media herself before the rumors started flying.

Also, as far as the smoking goes…In Kerry’s defense, I must point out that she DID state that she is TRYING her best to give up cigarettes. Kicking the habit completely can be extremely difficult for some people, and it sounds like Kerry is one of those people. I’m sure she’d LIKE to quit, but is find it hard to do so.

That said…I feel awful for Kerry. Having bi-polar disorder cannot be easy or fun at all. I have seen first hand how a mental problem can affect a person, and that has made me extremely sympathetic to anyone who happens to be suffering from a mental problem. I believe her when she says that she is suffering from bi-polar disorder. As another poster stated, having bi-polar or various other mental problems can certainly make a person appear to be on drugs.

Personally, I think that Britney Spears has bi-polar disorder as well. I feel awful for both her and Kerry, and I hope that they both get the help they need soon!

Renee on October 27th, 2007

I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt. Bi-polar is different with everyone who has it.It’s like that with any mental disorder. I’m assuming if she does take medication for it, that some of them you have to go off when you’re pregnant which could explain why she was acting so strange

Dawn on October 27th, 2007

Being bipolar is no joke. I truly believe that this girl has it and it CAN and WILL make you appear to be on drugs, especially if you aren’t taking your prescribed medication.

Elyse on October 27th, 2007

I have personal experience with Bi-Polar disorder and it can effect different people in different ways. It can be a very serious condition and medication can be very important in controlling the sypmtoms of it.

I am assuming she takes medication for it and I know that most bi-polar medication cannot be taken when you are pregnant or nursing. I really want to have children someday but I don’t know if I could emotionally and physically handle going off my medication for nine months. I feel very sympathetic for Kerry at this time and I hope she can safely make it through this pregnancy and have a beautiful healthy baby.

Annie on October 28th, 2007

Having bipolar disorder can certainly make someone appear to be on drugs, even when the individual is taking her medication. However, an unmedicated bipolar person will DEFINITELY appear to be on drugs when frustrated, anxious, etc. If she is unable to maintain the same medical regime that she had pre-pregancy (which is most likely the case), there may be times when she acts erractically. Depression, bulimia, and countless other mental illnesses are not the same as bipolar disorder. They are all tramatizing, but bipolar disorder is more likely to cause erratic and irrational behavior. Having observed how a change in routine can negatively impact a bipolar person, I am confident that pregnancy and a change in medication can and will have the same effect. I wish her the best.

Dawn on October 30th, 2007

Article from the Sun regarding Kerry on GMTV:

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/article405194.ece

From the article:

She said: “I’m sick to death of all these questions coming up about me being on drugs when I appeared on GMTV.”

“Yes, I am on drugs. It’s my bipolar medication, it’s nothing else, I’m pregnant for God’s sake!”

Kerry explained that the drug she takes every night, called Effexor, keeps her “sane”.

She continued: “I’ve had to move onto this medication because I’m pregnant again and it’s a drug that basically evens out my mood swings and it is prescribed especially for bipolar.”