LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Comedian and former cast member of 'Saturday Night Live', Pete Davidson has gained widespread recognition since his debut on the popular comedic sketch program in 2014. His most recent accomplishment marked the launch of his television series 'Bupkis', which debuted on Peacock on May 4, 2023. Despite his triumphs in the entertainment industry, Pete revealed his struggle with Crohn's disease a few years after being diagnosed. His 2020 movie 'The King of Staten Island' includes an exchange about his medical condition.
The 'Bupkis' actor went public with his mental health issues in 2017, admitting he had been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD). According to Page Six, Pete is currently receiving therapy for BPD and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The 'Saturday Night Live' alum is reportedly staying in the same Pennsylvania rehab facility where his friend and coworker John Mulaney sought treatment for alcohol and drug abuse. According to a source close to him, Pete has checked into rehab but is expected to be released soon.
Pete was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at '17 or 18'
Before anyone was familiar with Pete and before he was associated with pop culture icons Ariana Grande and Kim Kardashian, the actor and comedian was a teenager with Crohn's disease. In an interview with 'High Times' in October 2016, Pete opened up about discovering he had the condition and how he relied on weed to lessen his symptoms, as per Hollywood Life.
During the candid discussion, he admitted that he was diagnosed Crohn's disease when he was "17 or 18." Pete said at the time, "And I found that the medicines that the doctors were prescribing me and seeing all these doctors and trying new things … weed would be the only thing that would help me eat." The then 22-year-old further added, "My stomach would be in pain all day and I wouldn’t be able to eat, but then I’d smoke and I can eat and do my shows. I wouldn’t be able to do SNL if I didn’t smoke weed. I wouldn’t be able to do anything really. Me performing not high has gone awful. It’s awful for me because I don’t feel well."
Pete admitted in the interview that he frequently feels "offended" when people simply call him a "pothead" because he "needs" weed to manage his Crohn's disease. He continued, "I work really f****** hard and I take care of my s*** and I need weed in order to do that. I’m sick, I have Crohn’s … so it s***s."
Former girlfriend Ariana Grande once defended Pete by reminding a detractor of her ex-fiance's prolonged fight with Crohn's disease. The explosive singer lashed back at the blog Barstool Sports after the publication said that Pete's pigmentation around his eyes gave the appearance of having "butthole eyes."
What is Crohn’s disease?
According to the official Mayo Clinic website, Crohn's disease is also referred to as an inflammatory bowel illness (IBD). The illness causes "chronic inflammation" of the entire digestive tract, from the stomach to the anus. According to the organization's website, Crohn's disease symptoms might include "abdominal pain, severe diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss and malnutrition."
There is no known cure for Crohn's disease, but the symptoms can often be controlled with medicine. Pete will probably have to manage his symptoms for the rest of his life. Medicines to reduce inflammation, immune system suppressants, and antibiotics are other treatments. Doctors work largely to reduce pain and chronic inflammation in their patients.
Mental health classes
A few years after admitting to having Crohn's disease, Pete opened up about his ongoing issues with mental health. In an interview with Variety in 2018, Pete admitted that he has experienced suicidal thoughts. He said at the time, "I’ve been in and out of mental health facilities since I was 9. I tried to drown myself in the pool when I was in the fourth or fifth grade." Despite this, he believed that taking lessons in mental health had improved his well-being.
Pete continued, "The last few years have been real rough with me. I took all these mental health classes and really spent a lot of time getting me good." He made a candid appearance on Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update' that same year and discussed his borderline personality disorder (BPD). In the video, he also urged viewers to seek assistance and "see a doctor."
