Nin-JA please! JoJo Says He Wouldn’t Have Joined Jodeci Via Sister2Sister On last season of VH1′s “Couples Therapy,” JoJo and Tashaunda opened up about JoJo’s battle with alcoholism and Tashaunda’s struggle with her past as a victim of sexual abuse. But what caused JoJo to ever begin drinking? Is he ready to stop? And how has abuse affected Tashaunda as a mother and her relationship with JoJo? Jamie: Do you remember starting with alcohol? JoJo: You know, it’s been so long. Ever since Jodeci had their first hit, that’s when everything started spiraling downward. I mean with the whole band, individually and as a group. From then on I really didn’t have no feelings about it. It was just party and BS. But I didn’t think it was taking a toll on me until the first time that I said I wasn’t going to drink anything, and I fell into a seizure. So that was like a withdrawal. Jamie: This is really something. Do you have problems with your liver or anything now? JoJo: The only thing that’s going on with me now—and I thank God I’m still here able to talk to you again—is my pancreas. I drank so much until a small part of my pancreas had ate away. That’s no pain you want to feel. I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy. Jamie: If you were to start all over today, knowing what you know now, what would you do or not do? JoJo: Knowing what I know now, I don’t think I would have been in Jodeci. S2S also asked his wife about her temptation to kick JoJo’s azz to the curb. Jamie: Tiny was it difficult loving him through this? JoJo: Good question. I want to know the answer to this. Jamie: Because that’s hard on you. He’s not even who he is when he’s drinking. Tashaunda: Right. There have been some difficult moments where I felt like running away but I know that there’s this beautiful person in there and he’s hiding behind alcohol. If you marry somebody, you love them unconditionally. It’s not just something that you can just walk away from. The biggest thing that a lot of people don’t understand, which I myself didn’t understand until I was in this situation is that alcoholism. It’s an illness. Image via flickr
