Billy Joel has opened up about a harrowing chapter in his life, revealing that he attempted suicide twice after an affair with his best friend's wife. This shocking revelation comes from his new documentary, "Billy Joel: And So It Goes," which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City.

In the documentary, Joel, now 76, reflects on his early 20s when he was part of the band Attila with his close friend Jon Small. During this time, Joel moved in with Small, his wife Elizabeth Weber, and their son. As their friendship deepened, Joel confessed to Small, "I’m in love with your wife."

The fallout from this confession was devastating. Joel expressed his guilt, saying, "I felt very, very guilty about it. They had a child. I felt like a homewrecker." The affair not only ended his friendship with Small but also led to the disbandment of Attila. Consumed by guilt and depression, Joel's life spiraled out of control.

"I had no place to live. I was sleeping in laundromats, and I was depressed, I think to the point of almost being psychotic," Joel recalled. He described his mental state as so bleak that he thought, "That’s it. I don’t want to live anymore."

In an attempt to cope, Joel's sister, Judy Molinari, provided him with sleeping pills. Tragically, he took all of them, resulting in a coma that lasted for days. "I went to go see him in the hospital, and he was laying there white as a sheet. I thought that I’d killed him," Molinari said.

After waking from the coma, Joel's first thought was to attempt suicide again. This time, he ingested lemon Pledge, a furniture polish. Fortunately, Small was there to rush him to the hospital, saving his life. "Even though our friendship was blowing up, Jon saved my life," Joel stated.

Small reflected on the situation, saying, "He never really said anything to me. The only practical answer I can give as to why Billy took it so hard was because he loved me that much and that it killed him to hurt me that much. Eventually, I forgave him."

Following these traumatic events, Joel sought help by checking himself into an observation ward. He described this experience as life-changing, stating, "I got out of the observation ward, and I thought to myself, ‘You can utilize all those emotions to channel that stuff into music.’"

Years later, Joel and Weber reconnected and were married from 1973 until 1982. The documentary also touches on how this tumultuous period influenced his music, including songs from his debut album, "Cold Spring Harbor."

The two-part documentary, co-directed by Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin, is set to premiere on HBO and HBO Max later this summer. Joel's absence from the premiere was noted, as he is currently dealing with a recent diagnosis of a brain disorder.

If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, help is available. You can contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988.