Jewel was once homeless and suffering from debilitating mental health issues before transforming her life and becoming a successful singer and songwriter.The "Foolish Games" singer shared some of the traumas from her upbringing, including when her mother left their family when she was 8 years old, while chatting on the "No Magic Pill" podcast.Her father became "physically abusive" once they moved back to his hometown, which is where Jewel's "whole world really turned upside down."JEWEL SAYS OFF-GRID ALASKA UPBRINGING WITHOUT ELECTRICITY OR RUNNING WATER KEPT HER GROUNDEDJewel recalled her challenging upbringing in Alaska and surviving homelessness as a teenager.(Allen Berezovsky)"I made a promise really young not to do drugs or drink," she said.
"Again, I think just cuz I had such an extreme front row seat to seeing what it did.It didn't look glamorous, you know, it didn't look sexy."And some deep, deep part of me knew to be deadly terrified of it."EN VOGUE SINGER DAWN ROBINSON SAYS SHE’S NOT HOMELESS, CHOSE TO LIVE IN HER CARBy 15, Jewel was living on her own, and a few years later moved to San Diego to take care of her ailing mother.
Paychecks fell through and bills mounted by the time she decided to live in her car while her mom went back to Alaska.At first, Jewel tried to be optimistic about the situation, but her mental health began to suffer."My panic attacks were getting worse.My agoraphobia was getting worse," she said.
"I didn't have food.I didn't have water.
I didn't have ...anything.
I didn't have gas for the car."Jewel followed her family footsteps and began playing music at a young age.(Paul Natkin/WireImage)Jewel recalled her lowest point when she began shoplifting."I started stealing food and stealing, like, herbs and things like that to try and ...
I had bad kidneys," she said."And then, it just kind of evolved into stealing things that weren't food and things that I didn't need."JEWEL'S ADVICE ON OVERCOMING HEARTBREAK, HARDSHIPS: 'IT'S WHAT...