Cory Monteith Talks to Parade About His Drug-Fueled Past

He's one of Prospect High's shining stars, but life for Cory Monteith hasn't always been that bright - having dealt with a serious drug problem and unsuccessful bouts with rehab.

The "Glee" star opened up about his past addiction in the new issue of Parade magazine (out June 26), telling, "I burned a lot of bridges," while also dishing that his drug use involved "anything and everything, as much as possible...I had a serious problem."

The Canadian native, whose parents divorced when he was seven years old, said he was already skipping school, drinking, and smoking marijuana when he was 13. As his teenage years progressed, he admits, "I was out of control."

By the age of 19, Cory's mother and close friends had enough and decided to stage an intervention, which sent him to rehab - however, staying clean didn't last long, as he told, "I did the stint but then went back to doing exactly what I left off doing."

After stealing a large amount of money from a family member and getting caught, Cory said he finally hit his ultimate rock bottom. "I was done fighting myself. I finally said, 'I'm gonna start looking at my life and figure out why I'm doing this.'"

After moving away and kicking the habit, Monteith's life finally starting piecing itself back together, however, he firmly noted that his path is not a road youngsters should try to travel, explaining, "I don't want kids to think it's okay to drop out of school and get high, and they'll be famous actors, too. But for those people who might give up: Get real about what you want and go after it. If I can, anyone can."

During his interview with Parade, Cory Monteith also addressed his music career, namely the possibility of following in co-star Naya Rivera's footsteps.

"I have a solo deal with Columbia Records. So it's about, do I want to release an album, when can we do it, what kind of album should it be, how should it be released and marketed and what's the right timing? Do I have time to do it?," he said. "It's all about questions."

Monteith also explained, "I've definitely been informed how lucrative it could be, because we have an audience. But I don't want to do it just because I have the opportunity."

"I think if you show up and you work hard and you're straightforward, you can always create your own opportunities. I hope I'm right."

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