Chiara de Blasio Tells Us She's a Little Too Normal in a 4 Minute Video

Pic by Aaron Showalter via the Daily News

Right after the de Blasio family announced that they were giving Park Slope the boot for a deluxe historical mansion on the FDR, they hit us with another front-stoop press conference on Christmas Eve, this time to reveal that their daughter Chiara was seeking help for her substance abuse problem.

In a four-minute You Tube video released to reporters complete with American Beautyesque bag-flying piano music, 19 year old Chiara sat down to tell the world that she has been battling depression throughout her adolencese and was turning to drugs and alcohol for comfort. Take a look.

Although the video appears to be highly crafted and possibly spun to do a little damage control, Chiara seemed to be very open, honest and down-to-earth about her problems: “I’d be like, ‘Oh, I won’t drink’ — and then I would smoke weed and then I would be like, ‘I’m not gonna smoke weed’ — and I would just drink. It was like this bartering for equally bad outcomes.”

Chiara also said that by seeking help, mainly therapist-suggested group therapy, she was able to be more involved in her father's campaign: “Removing substances from my life, it’s opened so many doors for me. I was actually like able to participate in my dad’s campaign and that was like the greatest thing ever, and now I am doing well in school and actually getting to explore things that aren’t just partying.”

Some are saying that the de Blasio team pushed the video because rumors of Chiara's substance problems has been circulating for months. But according to the Daily News, the de Blasios issued a written statement insisting that they wanted to help other young people dealing with the similar issues. 

As parents, our instinct has been to protect our daughter and privately help her through a deeply personal struggle. But not only has Chiara committed to her own health, she is also committed to helping young people everywhere who face similar challenges.

And it would seem that White House Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske was picking up what they were putting down, stating, "Chiara demonstrated tremendous bravery in speaking out about her recovery, and I applaud her and the entire de Blasio family for addressing this important public health issue.” 

I say good for her for being brave. But I'm also going to say what may or may not be on some of our minds: Isn't going away to college supposed to be the time when you engage in smoking pot and drinking to help you "share more common ground with people?" I'm not trying to be insensitive here (like people who say there's no such thing as sex addiction) but weed and booze? I mean, yes, if she were constantly coked out of her mind, I'd say sure, she should go get help, but if she's only smoking the wacky tobaccy and chasing it with some tequila AND SHE'S IN COLLEGE, I say that's usually most Friday nights. Shouldn't the real focus be on her struggles with depression and anxiety which may be at the root of her substance abuse?

FIPSters what do you think about all this? Am I wrong?