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Jessica Simpson opens up about addiction and childhood abuse in new memoir

The singer, actress and entrepreneur reveals struggles her fans never knew about.
/ Source: TODAY

Jessica Simpson has lived her life in the spotlight for more than 20 years, but despite her reality TV show appearances, an active life on social media and countless interviews, she’s managed to keep the most challenging parts of her life completely private.

Until now.

“There is power in truth,” the 39-year-old told People ahead of the release of her new memoir, “Open Book.”

People

In the tell-all, which hits bookstores Feb. 4, Simpson shares her truth like never before, opening up about childhood sexual abuse and the role it played in putting her on the path to addiction. And in her interview with the magazine, she reveals why she wrote the book.

"Open Book," by Jessica Simpson

“I’m a horrible liar,” she said, explaining that she’d passed up an earlier opportunity to pen a motivational guide to “living your best life,” because she was actually at “rock-bottom” due to dependency on alcohol and pills.

“I didn’t feel comfortable talking about myself in a way that wasn’t true or honest,” she said.

And getting honest with herself — along with rehab, therapy and the support of her husband, Eric Johnson — is what helped her to turn her life around.

“Quitting was the easy part,” she continued. “I was mad at that bottle. At how it allowed me to stay complacent and a bit numb.”

But stripping back the secrecy for the book proved to be a “hard, deep emotional journey.”

It also proved to be a rewarding one.

“With this book, I want the freedom to say, ‘Well, there are no more secrets,’” she said. “Honesty is hard. But it’s the most rewarding thing we have. And getting to the other side of fear is beautiful.”

Hear more about Simpson's journey when she sits down with TODAY's Hoda Kotb on Wednesday, Jan. 29.

You can also read Simpson's full interview with People, along with an excerpt from "Open Book," in this week's issue of the magazine.