Teddy Swims Battled Substance Abuse When He Was in a 'Dark Place.' Now, in Therapy, 'I'm Not Numbing' Anymore (Exclusive)

• After confronting his inner demons in therapy, Teddy Swims now has a better relationship with his vices
• "I'm not using it for this emotional crutch anymore," the singer-songwriter explains
• Swims and Raiche Wright are expecting their first baby — a son — in June
  

Teddy Swims isn't afraid to admit he did try everything but therapy.

The singer (born Jaten Collin Dimsdale) whose genre-bending albums of the same phrase — I've Tried Everything But Therapy, Parts 1 and 2 — debuted in 2023 and 2025, respectively, tells PEOPLE that his music is a story of growth.

"In the first album, I was really in a really dark place, and I was coming at it from a really tough heartbreak, and writing all these songs about it. And I just was not spiritually, emotionally, physically, mentally — all was unhealthy," says Swims. "As I was kind of going through my healing journey writing Part 2, there's a lot of unlearning that you're hearing in it."

Swims, who is expecting his first child — a son — in June with girlfriend Raiche Wright, says he wanted Part 2 to reflect his life now.

"I've gone to therapy! I've tried it. I've fallen back in love, and I've got a child on the way, and there's so many successes," he says. "And I just hope that I showed myself, but also the listener that on the other side of all that mess and heartbreak, that there's all this love and support and family and all these good things, if you just stick to the course and just don't let that kill you."

Swims and Wright are also in couples therapy together, which Swims says served as the segue for him to embark on the journey solo.

"She was like, look, we're going to have a baby. I want to get our communication as proper as we can, make sure we're both communicative and bringing this baby into the safest, sweetest home environment," he recalls Wright saying.

By talking openly about his own struggles, Swims also hopes to help destigmatize mental health in general.

"It's like if something's wrong with your arm or your leg, you go to a doctor for that. Why don't you do that for your mind? " he says. "I wanted to kind of open up the conversation about therapy, and I felt that there was this generational thing [where] we felt like we can't talk about therapy, or going to therapy is crazy and you're crazy if you need it. I think it's something truly everybody could benefit from."

Prior to his relationship with Wright (and subsequently giving therapy a try), Swims tells PEOPLE that he relied heavily on alcohol and drugs to cope.

"I was drinking a whole lot. It was a lot of substance abuse, too," shares Swims, who's been open about his past. "I was terrified of sleep because I was having these nightmares all the time. [I was] doing whatever it took to stay up and not face whatever was in front of me. Staying around people all the time, partying way too often, never being alone and never dealing with myself."

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After confronting his inner demons in therapy, says Swims, he now has a much healthier relationship with his vices.

"I'm not using it for this emotional crutch anymore. I mean, I definitely love drinking my tequila and I love to pop me a Miller High Life. Don't get me wrong!" he says with a laugh, "but it's not so much of a necessary tool. I don't need something to numb me anymore. I'm not numbing or running away from anything."

I've Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 2) is available wherever you stream music.