10 Celebrities Who Got Sober
In honor of September being recovery month, we wanted to highlight 10 Celebrities who took the plunge into sobriety and are now living their best lives - clean, healthy, and sober. Read on for celebrity sobriety inspiration.
10. Elton John - 31 years
Elton John hit rock bottom 31 years ago after many years of using alcohol and drugs. His rock bottom became the foundation on which he built his new life. Last year he took to Twitter to say, "If I hadn't finally taken the big step of asking for help 30 years ago, I'd be dead. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all the people who have inspired and supported me along the way."
9. Eva Mendes - 13 years
When Eva Mendes quietly checked into rehab in 2008, it was met with general shock. She has never spoken publicly about any addiction issues and has not had the regular run-ins with the law seen in other celebrities. Since then, she has consistently praised those who decide to get sober and states that it is the best decision she ever made.
8. Russell Brand - 19 years
Russell Brand spent most of his younger years addicted to food and pornography before graduating to alcohol and party drugs, eventually spiraling into four-year heroin addiction. He lost almost everything before he finally got clean in December 2002. He is now married with two children and has written books and produced podcasts on how to help others get clean.
7. Matthew Perry - 10 years
Matthew Perry was a constant source of concern to his cast members and crew on the set of Friends, where at the height of his substance abuse, he was taking 30 pills a day, washed down with vodka. Although it took him more than one stint in rehab to get clean, he said that ten years ago, something clicked. He then went on to open a sober men's living house in Malibu.
6. Zac Efron - 8 years
The pressures of fame and constant media attention pushed Zac Efron towards alcohol and drugs as a means to cope. Things got increasingly more chaotic in his personal life until he felt like he had no choice but to go to rehab in 2013. Clean ever since, he attributes his health and fitness to his sober lifestyle and encourages those considering sobriety to focus on all the rewards it brings.
5. Bradley Cooper - 11 years
Bradley Cooper succumbed to alcohol abuse and painkiller addiction in his early twenties, at his lowest point experiencing daily suicidal ideation and feeling inadequate as an actor. He got himself written out of the show he was doing at the time and then went on a long road to true recovery. He attributes his later success to his ability to stay sober and swears that it would have been impossible otherwise.
4. Kirstin Davis - 30 years
Kirstin Davis first began to seek treatment for addiction at the age of just 22, fearing that at the pace she was going, she wouldn't make it to 30. She craved being numb to her feelings, and alcohol provided the perfect solution. The only thing that saved her was acting, which was the only thing more important to her besides her addiction. It gave her the motivation she needed to quit, and she hasn't looked back since.
3. Lana del Rey - 19 years
Lana del Rey began drinking daily and independently from her extremely young teen years, with her parents resorting to sending her to a boarding school outside of New York City to break her out of her cycle. It didn't work initially, she ended up using drugs as well, but after some time in an outreach program at just 14 years old, she has maintained consistent sobriety ever since.
2. Daniel Radcliffe - 11 years
The franchise that began his career and defined most of his childhood as coming to an end was a massive trigger for Daniel Radcliffe. He turned to alcohol to cope with the uncertainty in his life surrounding the movie series coming to an end and not feeling secure enough in himself to stay sober. Since choosing sobriety, however, he has enjoyed continued success in the movie industry and is happier than he's ever been.
1. Eminem - 13 years
It wasn't until Eminem experienced a near-fatal overdose that he found the strength to get sober. He did not take his spiraling addiction seriously and cut ties with anyone who expressed concern over his prescription pill use. It was only after doctors told him that he had ingested the equivalent of four bags of heroin that he sought help, even reaching out to Elton John for advice.
There you have it, ten celebrities who ventured down the dark road of alcoholism and substance use, experienced all the lows ordinary people do when facing addiction and were able to make an impactful change and better their lives. We feel incredibly inspired, and we hope you do too!
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