Tiffany Haddish Opens Up About the Condition That Caused Her to Have Eight ‘Devastating’ Miscarriages

From a childhood in foster care to the ups and downs of dating in Hollywood, actress and comedian Tiffany Haddish has never had a problem sharing the details of her personal life. Her new memoir, “I Curse You With Joy,” a follow-up to her 2017 bestseller “The Last Black Unicorn,” is sure to be loaded with even more revealing tidbits.

Haddish recently spoke with PEOPLE ahead of the release of her new book, which is scheduled to drop May 7. In the interview, she opened up about the physical and emotional pain she’s experienced living with endometriosis.

“I’m pretty sure the devil is real because the first day of my period, no matter what, the devil goes into overdrive. I feel like my life gets turned upside down,” Haddish said. “I be like, ‘Am I dying?’”

According to the World Health Organization, endometriosis is a condition in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus. The result can lead to inflammation and scar tissue inside the pelvic region. Symptoms can include painful periods, excessive bleeding and infertility.

The WHO says endometriosis affects nearly 10 percent of women and girls of reproductive age around the world. Haddish said her condition leaves her in extreme pain, which often causes her to faint.

“I don’t talk about it, but people just think I’m sleep everywhere, but I’m passing out because I’ll be in so much pain,” she said.

But along with the physical pain, Haddish revealed that she’s lived through eight miscarriages, including one in 2023 – each experience, Haddish said, was “devastating.”

“Every time I find out I’m pregnant, I’m like, ‘Don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t do nothin’,” she said. “Even if I don’t really want [the baby], I still try to give it a chance.”

While Haddish told PEOPLE she’s currently celibate, she’s not completely giving up on the idea of getting married and having children someday. “There is a part of me that wants to,” she said. “I’ve got all this love, I should give it to somebody who can grow with it.”