Nikki Sixx discussed his decision to release The Heroin Diaries, saying the book has connected people struggling with addiction toward pursuing sobriety, according to comments posted on X.
A fan asked Sixx whether he was scared about releasing such vulnerable personal moments from his life. The Mötley Crüe bassist explained that publishing the book was a significant risk, but he felt it was worth taking.
Question: “Were you scared about releasing The Heroin Diaries? I’d imagine you were since these were very vulnerable moments you were gonna give out.”
“It was either gonna be career suicide or help at least one addict,” Sixx said. “I believe it’s connected a lot of people struggling towards giving sobriety a try.”
“That’s what I hear all the time. Makes me really happy. Nobody deserves to lead an alcoholic or addict life.”
Sixx made these remarks in response to fan questions about his career and personal journey. His comments reflected on the impact The Heroin Diaries has had on readers facing addiction.
The Heroin Diaries was released on September 18, 2007, and covers the year from Christmas 1986 to Christmas 1987. During that time, Mötley Crüe was touring behind the Girls, Girls, Girls album while Sixx struggled with heroin addiction. The book presents Sixx’s personal diary entries alongside commentary from bandmates Tommy Lee, Vince Neil and Mick Mars.
On December 23, 1987, Sixx overdosed on heroin and was declared dead for two minutes before being revived by a paramedic. In early 1988, Sixx and his bandmates entered rehab and group therapy together. Sixx has been sober since that time.
The book spent 28 weeks on The New York Times Bestseller list and became a major work in popular culture about addiction and recovery. Sixx later recorded a concept album titled The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack with his band Sixx:A.M., which was formed in 2007. A musical adaptation of the book, written by Todd Kreidler and directed by David Esbjornson, tells Sixx’s journey through the opioid crisis to sobriety, with the mission of creating opioid awareness and destigmatizing addiction as a disease.
