Honey Boo Boo Reveals She Suffered From ‘Deep Depression’, Calls Custody Battle the ‘Toughest Years’

Here Comes Honey Boo Boo alum Alana Thompson opened up about experiencing a “deep depression” during the years-long custody battle between her mom, Mama June Shannon, and sister Lauryn Efird. 

“[Fourteen to] 16 was probably some of the toughest years of my life [sic],” Honey Boo Boo shared via TikTok alongside a video from her high school graduation on Wednesday, May 24. “I had doubts that I would never even graduate. I was in [a] really bad deep depression throughout those years and honestly didn’t know what to do.”

The reality star continued, “Today I look at myself and I realize that I’m actually at peace with my life right now, I’m so happy I can literally say that I graduated high school with a 3.0 [and] in [August] I will be going to my dream college to be a neonatal nurse.”

The former Toddlers & Tiaras star will be attending Regis University after receiving “a $21,000 scholarship.”

“God, I’m so proud of myself … I’m not crying you are,” Alana added.

While she will be turning 18 this August, Alana was just 14 years old when her mother was arrested on charges of possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, and she was forced to move in with her sister. 

After caring for her sister as a guardian for more than two years, Lauryn filed for custody in December 2021, according to court documents obtained by In Touch. On April 11, 2022, a judge awarded her sole custody of the teenager. Along with the custody arrangement, June was ordered to pay $800 in child support per month for her youngest daughter.

“Even though [Lauryn] didn’t have to step up [as a mother figure], she did, and you know, in our family … we’ve always stuck together,” the Mama June: Family Crisis star told In Touch in March 2021. 

Mama June and then-boyfriend Geno Doak were sentenced in August 2021, with June receiving 100 hours of community service. Her ex was sentenced to 16 months in the community corrections program. 

Alana previously opened up about the affects her mom’s drug addiction had on her life, telling Teen Vogue, “It’s very, very hard.”

“A lot of folks in this world do not realize how many people are actually really affected by drug and alcohol [use] … It’s something I’d wish on nobody, for real,” she said in August 2021. “When my mama got real bad with her [drug use], I didn’t know where I was going to end up. I’m proud of myself for how far I’ve come.”