The life of a celebrity seems like the ultimate high to outsiders, but the fast lifestyle, opportunities to party at every turn, high pressure to perform, and earn money for the studios takes its toll after a while, even for the most disciplined of personalities.
It’s difficult enough for most people who battle the demons of addiction, but for celebs, there’s no place to hide or deal with recovery in private. It takes a lot of courage for those who come out publicly to announce they have a problem, and even more to follow through and set an example for the rest of us. Congratulations to the celebrities who battled addiction on this list for finding the strength and desire to get your life back.
1. Elizabeth Vargas
Elizabeth Vargas is an ABC News anchor who entered a rehabilitation facility for alcohol addiction. She states that she hopes her going public gives others courage to seek help. “Like so many others, I will deal with this challenge a day at a time,” Vargas said. “If coming forward today gives one other person the courage to seek help, I’m grateful.”
2. Melissa Gilbert
Melissa Gilbert is sharing her story of addiction because she hopes she can save lives. Gilbert states that her addiction was a gradual process. She says that she was a partier until she had her first child. She remained sober until her grandfather passed away, but began drinking to deal with her feelings. Gilbert says that her son Michael saw her filling her glass with wine and said, “Mommy, you are not going to drink anymore are you?” After hearing this, she knew she needed to deal with her alcohol addiction and get sober.
3. Samuel L. Jackson
When he initially came to Hollywood, Samuel L. Jackson hid his drug and alcohol addiction. While studying theatre at a university, a teacher told him that he had to learn to handle his alcohol while performing. Jackson says he took it to heart. He states he was able to hide his alcohol and drug addiction rather well, which is why everyone was shocked when Jackson went to rehab.
4. Jada Pinkett Smith
A Facebook status that Jada Pinkett Smith posted hinted she may have suffered with an eating disorder and drug addiction. While Smith did not name her addictions, she writes that she suffered from many addictions of several kinds.
5. Zac Efron
Disney’s former star entered a rehabilitation facility for alleged cocaine abuse. According to an eyewitness at the set of Efron’s latest movie “Neighbors,” the actor frequently held up production when he did not show up on set. The eyewitness also states that Efron’s cocaine addiction was common knowledge.
6. Eva Mendes
Eva Mendes never came out and said what she was addicted to when she checked herself into a rehab for substance abuse. Her comment at the time was, “Because celebrities’ lives are so visible, I think it makes it look lighter than it is. I was reading an article, I don’t even remember who the actress was, but she said something like, ‘I’m proud that I’ve had a whole career without making it to rehab.’ I thought that’s such a negative twist on it. I’m proud of people who have the determination and the fearlessness to actually go and face their demons and get better.”
7. Kirsten Dunst
Following her breakup with Jake Gyllenhaal, Kirsten Dunst searched for solace in hard partying with alcohol and marijuana. Dunst partied hard for some time and then, as speculation about her drug use began to rise, she checked herself into a rehabilitation facility. She states that she decided to seek treatment to come to terms with her personal demons.
8. Danielle Radcliffe
After moving into his home, Danielle Radcliffe began drinking and developed an alcohol addiction. At 21, his struggle peaked when he awoke bruised and unable to remember the night before. This motivated him to get sober. Radcliffe has stopped drinking alcohol altogether.
9. Kelly Preston
Kelly Preston, wife to John Travolta and mother of his children, says she gave up drinking to become a better mother. She decided to change her lifestyle for her family. She admits that she used to do everything – and a lot of it.
10. Michael J Fox
At the age of 29, Michael J. Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He admits that directly after his diagnosis, things spiraled out of control. Fox says that he would drink to party, but once he received his diagnosis, he began drinking alone, ultimately prompting him to go into therapy. Fox states that once he started therapy, everything became clear.
Congratulations to the celebrities on this list for battling addiction and finding the strength and desire to get their lives back.
