red carpet

Red Carpet Redemption: Celebrities Who Have Overcome Addiction

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Sober Recovery Expert Author

red carpet

In Hollywood, drinking and partying seem to go hand and hand with the glitz and glamour of the red carpet lifestyle. And, for some famous celebrities, they become dependent on drugs and alcohol amid scrutiny in the public eye.

Many who triumph over addiction and admit relapse is a part of their journey are willing to talk about it openly and celebrate their sobriety while inspiring others in recovery.

For some famous celebrities, becoming dependent on drugs and alcohol amid scrutiny in the public eye is a harsh reality that is all too common.

Here are some Red Carpet Redemption stories.

Demi Lovato

Singer, Demi Lovato has been surprisingly candid about her ongoing battles with addiction and mental illness. Although diligent in her recovery during a 6-year sober stint, Lovato returned to rehab after her 2018 apparent drug overdose.

"My dad was an addict and an alcoholic. Guess I always searched for what he found in drugs and alcohol because it fulfilled him, and he chose that over a family.” She disclosed in the 2017 documentary, Simply Complicated.

The film, which Lovato produced has over 27 million views and the comment section spills over with love and support from fans who thank her for sharing her deeply personal addiction struggles. The documentary chronicles her chaotic life from childhood when she began abusing cocaine, pills, and alcohol.

In July 2019, Lovato celebrated 1 year of sobriety with her close-knit support community, showing that she is once again putting her sobriety first and proves that second and third chances are still possible.

Ben Affleck

Ben Affleck first became sober in 2001 and this will be his third time receiving inpatient treatment. In August of 2018, his former wife and mother of his three children, Jennifer Gardner staged an intervention and accompanied him to a treatment center in Malibu.

After his 40 days stay, Ben wrote a heartfelt Instagram post, "Battling addiction is a lifelong and difficult struggle. Because of that, one is never really in or out of treatment. It's a fulltime commitment, I'm fighting for myself and my family."

In a March 2019 interview with Today, Ben said it “doesn’t really bother” him to talk about his sobriety journey and being an alcoholic. Ben attributes the love and support of his family for helping to keep him sober.

Steven Tyler

In a 2019 feature for GQ called "Creating While Clean," Steven Tyler, the lead singer for Aerosmith said he's on his "fourth run" of sobriety. "I’d get so high that I couldn’t be creative anymore. But these moments, I don’t regret them. It was the greatest time. I’m just happy I survived. I'd be dead by now if I hadn't gotten sober."

Tyler says it's important for him to pay it forward after he opened Jane's House for battered and broken girls in 2017. "I'm also in a 12-step program and it's about passing it on. It's about learning what's going wrong and maybe making it right for someone else, it's just called passing it on."

John Stamos

The Fuller House star who is approaching four years of sobriety credits longtime co-star Jodie Sweetin for helping him achieve sobriety after he hit rock bottom following a DUI in 2015. Sweetin will soon be celebrating 8 years of sobriety herself and is a staunch ally to others in the recovery community.

Sweetin organized 12-step meetings for Stamos at his house and on the set of Fuller House. “Thank god, my wife and my new son will only know me as a sober husband and father,” Stamos said. “This is Jodie’s legacy in my life.”

Daniel Radcliffe

Harry Potter, everyone's favorite wizard, defeated Voldermort but failed to vanquish some of his own demons during the series. In a 2012 interview, Radcliffe admitted he was drunk during the final movies of the series. “I can honestly say I never drank at work on ‘Harry Potter.’ I went into work still drunk, but I never drank at work. I can point to many scenes where I’m just gone. Dead behind the eyes,” the actor said.

Reflecting on his years of excess drinking, Radcliffe says he struggled to feel as if he had to live up to this weird image he had of himself as being a famous actor. After he found solace in simply "being himself" it took him "a few years and a couple of attempts to get sober" and credits those around him who cared enough to offer support and advice.

Radcliffe, now 30 has been sober since August 2010 and has starred in indie films and Broadway shows.

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga, a nine-time Grammy-winning singer and Oscar-winning actress has also been openly discussing her struggles with anxiety and addiction.

In 2013 she admits in a radio interview that she was addicted to marijuana and pills (smoking up to 20 joints per day) and says that towards the end, she was totally broken and had lost a sense of her own soul.

Lady Gaga was asked in 2016 if she remembered a moment when someone gave her some really solid advice that she had never forgotten. Yes, it was being told to “get sober" by Elton John, who later chose her to be the Godmother of his children.

Lady Gaga has also received strong support from her "A Star is Born" co-star Bradley Cooper, who has been sober since age 29.

Wendy Williams

The queen of "Hot Topics" has become a hot topic herself following recent challenges with substance abuse that have led her to seek refuge in a sober house. Williams addressed her viewers directly at the end of her wildly popular daytime show in March.

"I have been living in a sober house," she said. "You know, I've had a struggle with cocaine in the past. I never went to a place to get treatment... There are people in your family, it might be you... I want you to know more of the story."

Williams revealed on The View that she remains sober even through divorce proceedings and preparing for the new season of her show set to premiere September 16th.

If you or someone you know is seeking help from addiction, please visit our directory of treatment centers or call 800-772-8219 to speak to a treatment specialist.

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