Tish Cyrus Opens Up About Struggles After Divorce and Losing Her Mother: ‘I Was Just Trying to Get By’

(From left:) Tish Cyrus, Loretta “Mammie” Finley, and Miley Cyrus.
Credit :

Miley Cyrus/Facebook

NEED TO KNOW

• Tish Cyrus discussed her ongoing struggle with severe anxiety after experiencing significant personal losses.
• Following the death of her mother in 2020, she divorced her husband of 23 years, Billy Ray Cyrus, in 2022.
• Despite her continued challenges, Cyrus is motivated to engage with mental health organizations.

Tish Cyrus is candidly addressing the profound impact of her divorce from Billy Ray Cyrus shortly after the passing of her mother, Loretta Finley, whom her daughter Miley affectionately referred to as “Mammie.” Cyrus described this phase as “the roughest thing I’ve ever gone through.”

In a recent appearance on the podcast The Squeeze, hosted by Tay Lautner and Taylor Lautner, the 58-year-old Cyrus reflected on her inability to process these concurrent tragedies. “Two of the most probably tragic things in my life that happened, I did not, like, process or even stop to really think,” she stated.

Finley’s death at the age of 85 occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, a loss that resonated deeply with Cyrus and her family. “I was very close to my mom,” she shared, noting that her children were also very attached to their grandmother. Following the end of Miley’s Disney Channel series Hannah Montana, the family had welcomed Finley to live nearby, solidifying her role in their daily lives.

Cyrus elaborated on the close relationship between her mother and daughter, indicating that the loss was compounded by the subsequent unraveling of her 28-year marriage. In April 2022, she filed for divorce from Billy Ray Cyrus, revealing to PEOPLE that the decision left her feeling “literally terrified.” She recounted a month-long period marked by debilitating anxiety characterized by sleepless nights and a sense of impending doom.

Loretta Finley — aka, “Mammie” — here with daughter Tish Cyrus, died in 2020.

Tish Cyrus/Instagram

Cyrus has been open about her struggles with self-medication during this turbulent time. “I was a major weed smoker… I do think that was almost like medicine for me,” she admitted, explaining that her cannabis use inadvertently became a way to cope with her emotional distress.

She acknowledged that this coping mechanism ultimately intensified her anxiety when she attempted to quit smoking. Fortunately, engagement in therapy allowed her to start confronting the emotional fallout of her experiences. “When I started therapy, I really started talking about my life,” she explained, emphasizing the positive impact it had on her mental health.

Tish Cyrus and Dominic Purcell.

Tish Cyrus/Instagram

Through her healing journey, Cyrus has cultivated a supportive relationship with Dominic Purcell, whom she married in 2023. This bond has provided her with a stable environment, allowing her to process her feelings more effectively.

Despite feeling more in control of her anxiety, Cyrus acknowledges that it can still manifest unexpectedly. “This morning, I was really anxious — and about nothing really,” she said, reflecting on the persistent challenges of managing her mental health.

Motivated by her experiences, Cyrus expressed a desire to become more involved with mental health advocacy. “The worst part of it is you feel so alone. You feel like you’re the only person in the world dealing with it,” she noted, revealing how listening to others has been instrumental in her recovery journey.