Alexa Ray Joel 'never wanted to die'

Alexa Ray Joel has opened up about the accidental overdose that sent her to hospital last year.

In an excerpt from the musician's upcoming 20/20 interview - aired on GMA - she explained that she had been feeling down following the end of a relationship.

She said that she had decided to take homeopathic aspirin pills to relax and had not been trying to harm herself.

"I was genuinely so distraught and in so much pain. It was near the holidays. I was upset. I don't want to like call and bother anyone with this anymore, because I'm so sick of this pain, let me just go to sleep," she said.

"It ended up making me feel kind of sick, and then I panicked and I was just not thinking clearly. It kind of bothers me that the press calls this an overdose. And I take full responsibility for what I've done. But at the same time, I wasn't trying to kill myself."

She continued: "I have a flair for the dramatic, OK, I'm an artist. I'm a performer. Did I actually want to die? Absolutely not. I was not suicidal."

The 24-year-old went on to credit her parents - Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley - for helping support her after the incident, and revealed that she had been contacted by other women who understood what she had been feeling.

"I think every woman, when she's going through this immense heartbreak and, really, depression and isolation, feels totally alone," she added. "So many women are... sending me long letters and they said, 'Thank you for admitting to it' and 'This issue needs to be brought to light more'."

The full interview airs tonight on 20/20 at 10/9c on ABC.