In a deeply personal interview, Pattie Mallette, Justin Bieber’s mother, opened up about the life-altering challenges she faced as a teenager, from surviving abuse to making the decision to keep her baby despite overwhelming pressure to choose otherwise.

Before becoming a mom, Mallette endured years of sexual abuse, a trauma she discusses candidly in her memoir, Nowhere But Up: The Story of Justin Bieber’s Mom. She revealed how the abuse left her

grappling with feelings of shame and self-blame. “It’s something so many survivors experience,” Mallette shared. “You carry this shame and feel like there’s something inherently wrong with you. I definitely carried that burden.”

Her emotional pain culminated in a suicide attempt during her teenage years. Reflecting on that dark period, Mallette explained, “It was the result of years of abuse, coupled with depression and substance abuse. Drugs and alcohol only made things worse. It was a breaking point.” Read more below