Jools Lebron, the influencer who became globally famous for her “very demure” phrase, has opened up to her 2.3 million followers on TikTok about how her overnight success sent her into substance abuse and other dark struggles. The 32-year-old content creator popularized the phrase “very demure” throughout summer 2025 and candidly shared that the social media spotlight had a devastating “dark side” for her.
Lebron, who is from Chicago, revealed that her battle with drugs and alcohol was directly triggered by her rapid rise to internet fame. “Going viral ruined my life,” she confessed in a video shared on Monday. “It let me fall down a slope of [insobriety] that ruined my life.”
While rising to fame, Lebron secretly dealt with a range of difficult experiences, including binges, benders, depression, and even sexual assault. Her rise to fame also came with luxury brand deals and meetings with celebrities like Cynthia Erivo and Sophia Bush. According to the New York Post, despite all the apparent glamour, Lebron, who admits she struggles with rage, found it very difficult to manage.
Fame came at a serious personal cost for Lebron, and her story reflects a wider problem among online creators
Lebron’s story comes at a time when 57% of young adults want to become full-time influencers, often giving up traditional careers for the appeal of online fame. She is not alone in speaking out. A growing number of content creators who found success have come forward to talk about burnout, sacrifices, and the intense stress of constant posting, with some even returning to more traditional jobs.
Despite her difficult experiences, Lebron is not ready to give up on content creation entirely. The entertainment world is also grappling with bigger shifts, such as how AI is threatening human creativity in Hollywood, which adds even more uncertainty for creators trying to build lasting careers. Lebron is focused on building her online presence without drugs and alcohol. “I need to get back to streaming. I need to get back to making content,” she revealed.
“I avoided it because I spent a year doing on and off benders via psychosis. I was fried, girl,” she added. Lebron is clearly determined to move forward after the “very demure” era and rebuild her life and career on her own terms.
She explained that she used substances to numb the overwhelming feelings. “I’d start processing, and I’m like, ‘You know what? If I’m drunk, I don’t really have to process this,'” Lebron shared in a follow-up post.
She also indicated that she would combine alcohol with other substances to increase the numbing effects. “Then three days later I’d still [be] awake, and I don’t want that anymore. It’s horrible.” For those unfamiliar with her background, Jools Lebron’s rise to fame and trademark struggles give more context to just how fast everything moved for her.
In an emotional revelation, Lebron announced she is now on a path to recovery. “You wake up and you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired,” she said, adding, “This is my first day being sober. I’m in the process of reclaiming my life, and this could help somebody.”
TikTok has also been home to other viral stories that raise serious questions, such as a missing teen who got engaged to her rescuer, which left many users divided. Despite her difficult experiences, Lebron is not ready to give up on content creation entirely. Instead, she is focused on building her online presence without drugs and alcohol. “I need to get back to streaming. I need to get back to making content,” she revealed.
