Creed Singer Scott Stapp Admits to Psychotic Breakdown Following Prescription Drug Abuse

Scott Stapp, the former frontman for Creed which was one of the biggest rock bands of the late 90s and early 2000s, has opened up about the root cause of his very public meltdown that went on for months last year.

In a new interview with People, Stapp said, "I had a psychotic break that was brought on by alcohol and drug abuse. I was hallucinating. I drove around the United States for a month, following an angel that I saw on the hood of my car."

He continued, "In my delusional thinking, I thought my family was involved in ISIS, and that millions of dollars had been taken from me to support terrorism. All of it was nonsense. I was out of my mind."

The singer made headlines in December after making a string of desperate 911 calls fearing for his family's safety, and he has now shared what really happened. He said he placed maniacal calls to 911, the White House and his son's school, and fired off jarring emails and text messages to family and friends.

He also commented on his personal feelings surrounding the diagnosis. "It was hard to process," he said. "There's a stigma associated with it. But [my wife] Jaclyn kept telling me, 'Embrace it. We love you.' It became a big sign of relief, because finally, we had an answer."

Scott Stapp is also in therapy, takes medication for his disorder, and participates in a 12-step program and has a sponsor. "I'm lucky to be alive," he told the magazine.