Entertainment / Wed, 27 May 2026 The Indian Express

‘This is wig’: Honey Singh reveals he is completely bald after bipolar disorder medication

Yo Yo Honey Singh has once again opened up about one of the darkest phases of his life, speaking candidly about his battle with substance abuse and bipolar disorder. I was like people are not understanding.”Recalling the emotional breakdown he experienced during that period, Honey Singh shared how helpless he felt despite trying to communicate what was happening to him internally. Disclaimer: This article discusses personal experiences with severe mental health struggles, bipolar disorder, and substance use recovery for informational and educational purposes. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health condition. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health condition.

Yo Yo Honey Singh has once again opened up about one of the darkest phases of his life, speaking candidly about his battle with substance abuse and bipolar disorder. During a conversation on the ABtalks podcast, the singer recalled how his mental health struggles began at the peak of his career and how he eventually found his way back after years of isolation and treatment.

Honey Singh revealed that the first signs of his condition appeared while he was juggling a music reality show in Mumbai and an international tour with Shah Rukh Khan in the United States. The singer said he suddenly began experiencing intense fear and paranoia.

‘I shaved half of my head’

“I was doing a music reality show in Mumbai and an America tour with Shah Rukh Khan. I was getting suspicious thoughts that I will die. I was in Chicago, somebody was with me and she said you have to go for rehearsal. I said I can’t go, Shah Rukh bhai called me and asked what happened, I said I will be fine, I will see you on stage.”

Honey Singh revealed that he desperately tried to avoid performing because of the fear consuming him at the time.

“I was feeling that I will die on stage and I was thinking how can I skip it, so I shaved half of my head, but they said we will make you wear the cap. I was like people are not understanding.”

Recalling the emotional breakdown he experienced during that period, Honey Singh shared how helpless he felt despite trying to communicate what was happening to him internally.

Disclaimer: This article discusses personal experiences with severe mental health struggles, bipolar disorder, and substance use recovery for informational and educational purposes. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health condition. Helpline numbers are provided at the end of this piece.

Story continues below this ad

ALSO READ: Before Ranveer Singh, FWICE ‘banned’ Chunky Panday but not Dharmendra or Shatrughan Sinha

‘Locked myself in the house for seven years’

“Then I called my sister and told her that something was happening to me. She said I would still have to do the show. I left midway after singing two songs. After that, I stayed inside my house for seven years. I didn’t want my fans to see me in that condition. I locked myself inside and didn’t even meet my childhood friends. There was no communication, no phone calls, no TV, no internet. People used to think the devil was talking to me.”

The singer further revealed that for nearly three years, he barely stepped out of his bedroom because of constant fear and destructive thoughts triggered by bipolar disorder.

“For three years, I didn’t step out of my bedroom. Even while taking a shower, I used to keep the bathroom door open because I was scared I would die. Bipolar disorder takes you into destructive thoughts that are not real, but it makes you feel like they are actually happening.”

Story continues below this ad

Honey Singh also spoke about how severe his condition became by 2018 and 2019, when he genuinely began believing that he was already dead.

“In 2018 and 2019, I believed that I was already dead. I used to sit there thinking I was dead already and stuck somewhere between heaven and hell. My mother would give me food, and I would think it was my last meal.”

‘I became 105 kilos, lost all my hair’

Talking about his recovery journey, the singer credited a change in medication and doctors for helping him gradually rebuild his life after years of suffering.

“I was on the same medication for seven years and still wasn’t getting cured. But when I finally decided to step out of my house, I also changed my doctor. He changed some medicines, introduced new ones, and adjusted the dosage of the main salt. I started recovering within four weeks. In just four weeks, I started meeting people and facing life again.”

Story continues below this ad

Honey Singh also revealed the physical impact the medication had on his body over the years.

“I was on heavy medication for seven years. I became 105 kilos because of it, and I lost my hair completely. This is fake hair, I am totally bald. This is a wig.”

The singer further admitted that despite quitting drugs in 2014, recovery was still a long and painful process.

“You won’t believe it, but even after I stopped doing drugs in 2014, it still took me seven to eight years to recover.”

Story continues below this ad

Honey Singh compared the experience to coming out of an intense physical and emotional furnace.

“I feel like I have just come out of a sauna where someone made me sit for a very long time. I came out burnt and exhausted, but I feel okay now. I thank God this happened to me in my early 30s because I was still able to make a comeback.”

Dr Ekta Soni, chief clinical psychologist, Apollo Indraprastha Hospital, had told indianexpress.com that while mood changes are common in people, if someone experiences lack of sleep and a significant change in their personality for more than four weeks, they are advised to consult a doctor.

About Honey Singh

Before his sudden disappearance from the spotlight, Yo Yo Honey Singh was one of the biggest names in Indian pop music, dominating charts with songs like “Brown Rang,” “Angreji Beat,” “Blue Eyes,” and “Lungi Dance.” At the peak of his fame in the early 2010s, Honey Singh became a defining voice of commercial Punjabi and Bollywood music before abruptly stepping away from public life due to his mental health struggles. After years away from the limelight, the singer gradually returned to music with tracks like “Makhna” and later albums such as Honey 3.0 and Glory.

Story continues below this ad

Disclaimer: This article discusses personal experiences with severe mental health struggles, bipolar disorder, and substance use recovery for informational and educational purposes. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health condition.

HELP IS A CALL AWAY

MENTAL HEALTH HELPLINE NUMBERS

AASRA

Contact: 9820466726

Email: [email protected]

Timings: 24×7

Languages: English, Hindi

Snehi

Contact: 9582208181

Email: [email protected]

Timings: 10am – 10pm, all days

Languages: English, Hindi, Marathi