Unfiltered on Facebook Watch: Inside Paris Jackson’s dark teen years

After the death of her father, Paris Jackson suffered through suicide attempts, self-harm and an eating disorder, she now reveals.

Paris Jackson has admitted she tried to kill herself “many times” and would frequently self-harm.

The 22-year-old model and daughter of the late Michael Jackson reflected on her past suicide attempts and said self-harm felt like a “distraction” from her “emotional pain”, in a harrowing episode of her Facebook Watch series.

Paris discussed her battle with her mental health in the second episode of Unfiltered: Paris Jackson and Gabriel Glenn.

Jackson explained that her suicidal feelings stemmed from her body-image issues.

She was raised on a strict diet but was allowed to have “soda and cake” when her grandmother Katherine started looking after her following Jackson’s death in 2009.

Footage of a teenage Paris Jackson is shown in the new Facebook Watch series.

She said: “I gained a lot of weight and it [eating] became an addiction … and then a cousin called me fat so I was like, ‘OK, I can’t do that anymore’. And that’s how I fell into self-harm.”

“It was a distraction from emotional pain and transferring to physical pain and the need for control.”

Paris added: “Yes, I tried to kill myself many times.”

After an attempt in 2013, Paris was sent to a boarding school in Utah for a year and a half.

She recalled: “I couldn’t take it anymore.”

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Paris at boarding school in Utah.

Paris claimed she had “no choice” but to go to the school, alleging that Child Protection Services claimed they would “take” her if she didn’t attend.

“I didn’t have a choice, I was underage,” she said. “CPS said they would take me if I wasn’t sent there.”

“I learned a lot about myself [in boarding school]. The problems that I went there with got fixed, but I left with way more problems than I came there with.”

Paris was reported to have attempted suicide in March 2019 in Los Angeles, however she denied it.

A young Paris with father Michael.

Grandmother Katherine Jackson. Picture: AFP

A source told People at the time: “Paris had an accident this morning that required medical treatment. She is currently resting at home and doing fine.”

Paris tweeted in response to the claims: “F**k you, you f**king liars.”

In the Facebook episode, she said that while she battles depression, she prefers not to take antidepressants as they leave her feeling “numb”.

“My depression comes in waves. I’m not on medication. I used to be on antidepressants and mood stabilisers, but it kind of clouded my third eye and I couldn’t laugh as deeply,” she revealed.

“So even though the lows are unbearably low, I would still rather that than nothing. Pain is way better than just [being] numb because at least you’re feeling something.”

Her musician boyfriend Gabriel – who she fronts the band, The Soundflowers, with – opened up about his own suicide attempt.

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Jackson with her boyfriend and bandmate Gabriel Glenn. Picture: Getty

Gabriel – who began dating Paris last year – said: “I attempted suicide and thankfully attempted and didn’t succeed. For me, that was a real turning point. I still get depressed but I don’t think I could do that to myself or the people I love.”

Paris also talked about being sexualised as a teenager by the fashion industry.

She said, “I’ve been on shoots with some stylists that are mean and make me feel fat,” and recalled being made to dress like a “hooker from the Eighties”.

This story originally appeared on The Sun and is republished here with permission.