Stars Who Have Been Candid About Their Struggle with Sobriety and Recovery

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Getting sober is a unique journey for everyone, and it can be especially difficult when you’re in the public spotlight. Many well-known people have bravely shared their struggles with addiction and recovery, which has helped reduce the shame often associated with substance use disorders. Their stories show that addiction doesn’t discriminate – it can affect anyone, no matter how successful they seem. They emphasize the importance of getting professional help and having a strong support system. By speaking out, these individuals are also raising awareness about mental health and offering hope to others who are facing similar challenges.

Robert Downey Jr.

Robert Downey Jr. struggled with drug and alcohol addiction for many years, facing arrests and even time in prison in the late 1990s. This began early in his life, with reports that his father first introduced him to marijuana at age six, leading to decades of substance abuse. He’s been sober since 2003 and has successfully restarted his acting career, becoming a hugely popular and successful actor. He attributes his ongoing health to a combination of support groups, therapy, and practicing martial arts.

Jamie Lee Curtis

Jamie Lee Curtis has publicly shared her decades-long journey to overcome an addiction to prescription painkillers, which started after a routine cosmetic procedure. She was able to keep her struggle hidden for years while continuing to work as a successful actress, even appearing in films like ‘Halloween’. In 1999, she got help and has since become a strong voice for raising awareness about addiction and supporting recovery. She often says that staying sober is the thing she’s most proud of, even more so than her achievements in acting.

Bradley Cooper

Bradley Cooper realized he needed to get sober when he was 29, as his drinking and drug use were starting to negatively impact his life and career. He’s talked about feeling like an outsider when he first arrived in Hollywood and using alcohol and cocaine to deal with his insecurities. He’s been sober since 2004, and believes that commitment is the reason he’s been able to succeed in films like ‘A Star Is Born.’ Cooper also helps other actors get sober and continues to prioritize his own mental health through daily self-reflection and therapy.

Drew Barrymore

Drew Barrymore first sought treatment for substance abuse when she was just 13, after growing up in the public eye and being exposed to an adult world at a young age. She wrote about these difficult experiences in her memoir, ‘Little Girl Lost,’ and continued to deal with the challenges of fame as she got older. Though she had been sober from drugs for many years, she recently revealed she’s also stopped drinking alcohol. Now, she speaks openly about the need for healthy boundaries and prioritizing mental well-being to live a stable life.

Anthony Hopkins

Since 1975, Sir Anthony Hopkins has been committed to sobriety. A frightening experience – waking up in an Arizona hotel with no recollection of how he arrived – led him to seek help through Alcoholics Anonymous. He now frequently shares his journey and encourages others facing similar struggles on social media. For almost 50 years, the acclaimed actor, known for his role in ‘The Silence of the Lambs,’ has successfully maintained his recovery while continuing a remarkable career in film.

Matthew Perry

Matthew Perry was very open about his long battle with alcohol and prescription drug addiction. In his memoir, he shared that he spent millions of dollars on 15 trips to rehab and faced several serious health problems because of his addiction. During the popular TV show ‘Friends’, his health struggles were sometimes noticeable, and he later spoke honestly about this. In the later years of his life, Perry focused on helping others, even transforming his former house into a place where people could live while recovering from addiction.

Demi Lovato

Demi Lovato has been openly discussing their mental health and recovery journey since beginning treatment in 2010. They’ve faced challenges, including several relapses and a life-threatening overdose in 2018, and have bravely shared their experiences through music and documentaries. While they briefly tried a moderate approach to sobriety, Demi announced in 2021 that they were fully committed to recovery. They continue to use their voice to emphasize that recovery isn’t always a straight path and that honesty about setbacks is important.

Elton John

Elton John got help for cocaine and alcohol addiction in 1990, deeply affected by the AIDS crisis and the loss of his friend Ryan White. He’s spoken openly about being self-centered and reckless during his heaviest drug use in the 70s and 80s. Since getting sober, he founded the Elton John AIDS Foundation and has helped many other musicians on their own journeys to recovery. He often celebrates his sobriety anniversary by publicly expressing gratitude for his life.

Ben Affleck

Ben Affleck has openly shared his ongoing struggles with alcohol addiction and the times he’s sought treatment. He describes addiction as a lifelong challenge that demands constant effort. He’s also talked about how addiction runs in his family and how his children inspire him to stay sober. Even after setbacks, Affleck stresses that reaching out for help takes strength, not weakness.

Daniel Radcliffe

Growing up in the spotlight as Harry Potter put a lot of pressure on Daniel Radcliffe, and as a teenager, he started drinking to deal with it. He’s been open about being drunk on set sometimes and using alcohol to manage his obsessive-compulsive disorder. Radcliffe got sober in 2010 and has stayed that way ever since, often talking about how much better his life is without alcohol. He says strong friendships and realizing he didn’t need to live a chaotic life were key to his recovery.

Dax Shepard

Dax Shepard hosts the ‘Armchair Expert’ podcast and often talks about his past struggles with addiction and his ongoing recovery. He gained attention in 2020 when he openly shared that he’d experienced a relapse after 16 years of being sober. By being honest with his listeners right away, he hoped to reduce the stigma around relapse and emphasize the importance of being truthful. Shepard remains involved in the 12-step program and consistently highlights the need for taking responsibility for one’s actions.

Eminem

Rapper Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers, faced a life-threatening methadone overdose in 2007, which motivated him to get clean. He’s openly discussed his addiction to prescription drugs like Vicodin and Valium in albums such as ‘Relapse’ and ‘Recovery’. Since April 2008, he’s stayed sober by working with a sponsor and committing to a strict fitness plan. He’s described the process as completely rebuilding his brain and his life.

Kristin Davis

Kristin Davis, famous for her role in ‘Sex and the City’, has been sober for more than 30 years – even before she became well-known. She’s shared that she feared she wouldn’t reach age 30 if she didn’t stop drinking. Davis recognized that her casual drinking was becoming a serious problem she couldn’t manage. She made the decision to focus on her acting and well-being instead of a life of partying, and she’s remained sober throughout her successful career.

Colin Farrell

In 2005, right after filming ‘Miami Vice,’ Colin Farrell entered rehab to overcome a serious addiction to drugs and alcohol. He’s said his early Hollywood days were a chaotic period of substance abuse where he felt he’d lost control. Farrell has been sober since 2008, and proactively returned to treatment in 2018 during a particularly stressful time. He continues to support those in recovery and often talks about how sobriety has improved his life as a father.

Samuel L. Jackson

In 1991, Samuel L. Jackson sought treatment at a rehabilitation clinic after his family found him unconscious in the kitchen. He was battling a crack cocaine addiction that put his family and career at risk. Remarkably, shortly after completing treatment, he took on the role of a crack addict in ‘Jungle Fever,’ which he credits with helping him stay committed to his recovery. He’s now been sober for over 30 years and believes his recovery is the reason for the incredible success he’s experienced since turning 40.

Josh Brolin

In 2023, Josh Brolin marked ten years of sobriety. He stopped drinking in 2013 after a highly publicized arrest for public intoxication. Brolin has openly shared on social media about the difficulties he faced in the past and how thankful he is for his life now. He often talks about how being sober has helped him become a more engaged father and a more focused actor, as seen in films like ‘No Country for Old Men’. He views recovery as an ongoing process that requires self-awareness and confronting past issues.

Mary J. Blige

Mary J. Blige has publicly discussed her past battles with drug and alcohol addiction, explaining that she turned to these substances to deal with the pain of being abused as a child. She believes her faith and prayer were essential in helping her overcome these struggles after years of harmful choices. In 2012, she reached a critical point, realizing her health and life were in danger if she didn’t make a change. Today, she uses her music and platform to encourage others to find healing and practice self-love.

Tom Holland

In 2023, Tom Holland shared that he had been sober for over a year after recognizing he had a problem with alcohol. He started with a ‘Dry January’ – a month of not drinking – and found it challenging, so he decided to continue. Holland has talked about how quitting alcohol has helped him sleep better, think more clearly, and generally feel healthier. He used to believe he needed a drink to have fun at parties, but now he feels more relaxed and self-assured when sober.

Florence Welch

Florence Welch, the lead singer of Florence + The Machine, has been sober since 2014. She realized her drinking had become problematic and was affecting her life. In the early stages of her career, she used alcohol to cope with the pressures of performing. Becoming sober changed how she experienced her music, helping her feel more connected to her art and less caught up in the social scene. In 2022, she marked eight years of recovery and continues to share the positive impact of living without alcohol.

Jack Osbourne

Jack Osbourne began battling an OxyContin addiction at 17 and has been in recovery since April 2003. His childhood in the public eye, growing up on the reality show ‘The Osbournes’, created significant pressures that led to substance misuse. He’s become a prominent advocate in the recovery community, openly sharing his journey and the difficulties of maintaining sobriety while also living with multiple sclerosis. Osbourne attributes his 20 years of continuous recovery to the unwavering support of his family and a dedicated recovery program.

Jada Pinkett Smith

As a longtime admirer of Jada Pinkett Smith, I was really struck by her recent openness about her past struggles. She revealed she used to get through the day with a couple of bottles of wine, and that back in the early ’90s, she decided to just stop completely. She’s described herself as someone who would really go to extremes, not just with alcohol, but with other substances too when she was younger. What really got her to change, she said, was realizing she was using these things to hide from some really deep emotional pain. It’s amazing to me that she’s been sober for over 25 years, and I really appreciate how openly she talks about the connection between mental health and addiction on ‘Red Table Talk.’

Josh Peck

Josh Peck, known for his role in ‘Drake & Josh’, has been overcoming drug and alcohol addiction since 2008. He’s openly discussed how he used substances to cope with feelings of insecurity and a deep sense of emptiness, even after losing weight. Peck attributes his recovery and successful comeback to a 12-step program, which gave him the support and stability he needed. He frequently shares his experiences to inspire others, especially young people, and demonstrate that a happy and meaningful life is possible in recovery.

Kat Von D

In 2022, Kat Von D marked 15 years of sobriety, openly sharing her experiences since getting sober in 2007. The tattoo artist and TV personality recognized that alcohol was holding her back from achieving her full potential, both professionally and personally. She initially feared sobriety would stifle her creativity, but discovered it actually enhanced it. Von D frequently uses her social media to support and inspire others beginning their own recovery journeys.

Russell Brand

As a movie buff, I’ve always been fascinated by Russell Brand, but beyond the comedy, his story is really compelling. He’s been sober from heroin and alcohol since 2002, and he’s become a huge voice for the 12-step program. He even wrote a book called ‘Recovery,’ where he lays out his thoughts on beating all kinds of addictions. What I really admire is that he doesn’t just talk about it – he actively works with charities to help people currently battling addiction, and he’s even spoken to government groups about better treatment options. He sees recovery as something deeply personal and spiritual, something that needs a strong community and a lot of honest self-reflection.

Lana Del Rey

Lana Del Rey has openly talked about struggling with alcohol as a teenager, explaining she went to boarding school at 14 to get help. She’s described alcohol as a significant part of her life and a common subject in her early songs, particularly on her album ‘Born to Die’. She’s been sober since 2003 and has shared how difficult it’s been to stay that way while working in the music industry. Del Rey has also volunteered with addiction outreach programs, drawing on her own experiences to support others in their recovery.

Eric Clapton

Throughout the 1970s and 80s, Eric Clapton struggled with serious addictions to heroin and alcohol. He finally got sober in 1987, and the birth of his son was a key reason for him to stay that way. Even after the heartbreaking loss of his son, he continued to maintain his recovery. Wanting to help others, Clapton established the Crossroads Centre in Antigua, a highly respected facility for treating drug and alcohol addiction. His autobiography openly shares his experiences with the difficulties of addiction and the relief he found in getting better.

Brad Pitt

After his divorce, Brad Pitt decided to stop drinking and spent a year and a half going to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. He found the group’s confidential and supportive environment helped him honestly address his personal struggles. Pitt has also thanked Bradley Cooper for his support during this change, and now feels much more balanced and peaceful in his life without alcohol.

Katy Perry

In a 2020 interview, Katy Perry opened up about her past struggles with alcohol and her path to getting better. She shared that she had been going to therapy regularly and had been sober for five years after a difficult period. Perry explained that she decided to make a change because she wanted to focus on her mental well-being and set a good example for her daughter. She continues to speak out about the importance of taking care of yourself and getting professional help if you’re dealing with substance use.

Macklemore

Macklemore, whose real name is Ben Haggerty, has openly shared his ongoing battles with drug and alcohol addiction in his music. He initially sought treatment in 2008 and has faced several public setbacks, including one during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through songs like ‘Otherside’ and ‘Kevin’, he’s shed light on the opioid crisis and the deeply personal impact of addiction. Macklemore stresses that getting better isn’t a one-time fix, but a continuous journey that requires hard work and the ability to bounce back from relapses.

Rob Lowe

In 2023, Rob Lowe marked 33 years of sobriety and has become a prominent advocate for the benefits of living a sober life in Hollywood. He sought help in 1990, recognizing that his previous lifestyle wasn’t compatible with the future he envisioned. Lowe frequently credits a 12-step program with turning his life around and enabling his enduring, successful career. He continues to inspire others, emphasizing that recovery is achievable with consistent effort, one day at a time.

Edie Falco

Edie Falco, the actress famous for her roles in shows like ‘The Sopranos’ and ‘Nurse Jackie’, has been sober for more than 25 years. She believes her own experiences with addiction were crucial in helping her realistically and compassionately play the role of a nurse struggling with opioid addiction. Falco made the decision to stop drinking in the early 1990s when she recognized it was starting to affect her career. She considers staying sober the most important part of her life and the foundation for her ongoing success as an actress.

Zac Efron

In 2013, Zac Efron entered treatment for cocaine and alcohol addiction, a struggle that began as he moved from being a teen idol to an adult actor. He’s openly discussed the ongoing challenges of addiction and how helpful attending Alcoholics Anonymous and going to therapy have been. Getting sober led to a shift in his friendships, as he started surrounding himself with more supportive people. Now, he focuses on staying healthy both mentally and physically through fitness and a disciplined lifestyle.

Shia LaBeouf

I’ve been following Shia LaBeouf’s journey, and it’s been really powerful to see him openly talk about his battles with alcohol. He’s had some very public struggles and legal problems because of it, and he’s gone through court-ordered treatment to get better. He’s talked a lot about feeling ashamed of how he used to act, and how much work it takes to recover. What’s really inspired me is how he’s found help through spirituality and therapy, and how he’s staying committed to his sobriety. He’s always honest about how difficult it is and how much ongoing effort it takes to stay on track, which I really appreciate.

Lindsay Lohan

Lindsay Lohan faced very public challenges with substance use from 2007 to 2014, including several arrests and court-ordered trips to rehab. More recently, after years of being in the spotlight, she’s talked about finding peace and staying sober while living outside the United States. Lohan says she’s doing well and is excited to return to acting with a fresh outlook. She now emphasizes the need for privacy and a good support network for anyone working to overcome addiction.

Stephen King

I’ve always been amazed by Stephen King’s talent, but I was really struck by his honesty about his struggles with addiction. Apparently, his family had to step in during the late 80s because things were getting dangerously out of control with alcohol and drugs. It’s incredible to me that he’s been sober for over 30 years! He’s even written about how addiction and creativity connect in his book ‘On Writing’. What’s really sobering – no pun intended – is that he’s admitted to not even remembering writing some of his biggest hits, like ‘Cujo’, because he was so lost in his substance use. Thankfully, getting sober allowed him to keep writing and really thrive, with a newfound clarity and health. It’s a powerful story of recovery and resilience.

Kelly Osbourne

Kelly Osbourne has openly discussed her struggles with addiction to prescription drugs and alcohol, which started when she was only 13. She’s been to rehab seven times and, after being sober for four years, experienced a setback in 2021. Osbourne shared this experience online to highlight that overcoming addiction is an ongoing challenge and to encourage others to be truthful about their own difficulties. She continues to attend therapy each week and says her family has been a constant source of support.

Anthony Kiedis

As a critic, I’ve always admired Anthony Kiedis’ raw energy, but reading his memoir, ‘Scar Tissue,’ gave me a whole new level of respect. He’s incredibly honest about his decades-long struggle with heroin and cocaine, detailing a really tough journey with multiple setbacks. It’s shocking to learn how close he came to losing everything – his life, and even his place in the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Thankfully, he finally achieved sobriety in 2000 and now dedicates himself to a healthy lifestyle. What’s really inspiring is that he’s using his experiences to help other musicians battling similar demons – a truly commendable effort.

Anne Hathaway

Anne Hathaway revealed in 2018 that she quit drinking because hangovers were making it hard to be the mom she wanted to be. She explained she wasn’t necessarily an alcoholic, but alcohol simply didn’t fit her life anymore. She’s discussed the pressure to drink socially and how liberating it felt to stop. Many have applauded Hathaway for openly sharing that choosing sobriety can be a healthy and positive decision for various personal reasons.

Danny Trejo

Danny Trejo has been sober for more than 55 years and is a highly respected voice in Hollywood for those overcoming addiction. He found sobriety while in prison in the 1960s and has since worked as a drug counselor, helping others find recovery. Trejo frequently speaks to young people and inmates, sharing how they can change their lives and emphasizing the benefits of the 12-step program. He believes his successful acting career wouldn’t have been possible without getting sober.

Naomi Campbell

In 1999, Naomi Campbell sought treatment for a cocaine addiction and has since openly discussed her involvement with Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous. She’s explained that she used drugs to deal with the stress of being a model and feelings of abandonment from her childhood. Campbell credits the support groups with helping her control her anger and build a more stable life. She continues to speak out about the importance of addiction treatment and mental health care.

Gary Busey

Gary Busey battled a serious cocaine addiction for years, and in 1995, he almost died from an overdose. He’s described that experience as a turning point that helped him get sober and focus on a healthier lifestyle. Busey has also shared how a motorcycle accident caused a brain injury, making it harder to control his impulses and recover. He continues to openly talk about the challenges he faced and the importance of spiritual well-being.

Keith Urban

I’ve always been so impressed by Keith Urban, not just as a musician but as a person. It took incredible courage for him to enter treatment for addiction back in 2006, especially so soon after marrying Nicole Kidman. He’s spoken so openly about how Nicole actually helped save his life, breaking a pattern he’d struggled with for years. It’s amazing that he’s maintained his sobriety ever since, and I really admire how honestly he talks about the difficulties of staying clean while constantly touring. He’s become a real inspiration to so many, proving that recovery can not only change your life, but make you a better partner and artist too.

Amber Valletta

Amber Valletta realized she needed help with drug and alcohol addiction at 25, fearing it would cost her life. Now sober for over 25 years, she openly discusses the shame she felt while struggling with addiction. She explains her substance use started in her teens and increased as her modeling career grew. Today, she uses her public voice to support greater access to resources and understanding for people battling addiction.

Charlie Sheen

For years, Charlie Sheen’s struggles with addiction were widely known, often drawing more attention than his acting career, including his role on ‘Two and a Half Men’. He publicly committed to getting sober in 2017 and has since openly discussed his journey and how much his recovery has changed his life. Sheen has said he was motivated to change because he wanted to be a better father to his children and improve his overall health. He continues to share the difficulties of staying sober long-term and emphasizes the need for consistent self-discipline.

Billy Joel

Billy Joel has publicly shared his long battle with alcoholism, including multiple times seeking help at places like the Betty Ford Center. He’s explained that he turned to alcohol to cope with difficulties during much of his career. While he’s faced setbacks and relapses, he’s remained dedicated to his well-being and his music. Reports indicate he’s been sober for several years now, prioritizing his family and his regular performances at Madison Square Garden.

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2026-02-20 09:57