Because of prejudice and stereotyping, we often think that substance abuse is a problem that only homeless people and those under the poverty line struggle with, but this simply isn’t true. All types of people can struggle with addiction, even celebrities. Here are a few celebrities that have battled with addiction throughout the years. While this is only a small list, there are many who have spoken about their struggle with addiction, and likely many who haven’t talked about it publicly because of the stigma.
Britney Spears
Britney Spears has been in the public eye many times throughout her life, for various reasons. However, in April 2020, she made headlines when she checked into a mental health center. She’s checked into treatment centers a few times throughout her life, most frequently for struggles with bipolar disorder, postpartum depression, and drug addiction. She’s even stated that she believed using drugs and drinking exacerbated her mental health issues.
Demi Lovato
Teen Disney star Demi Lovato has also made headlines multiple times throughout their career for drug abuse. They even overdosed in their Hollywood Hills home in July 2018 and were revived with Narcan. Lovato also suffers from bipolar disorder and eating disorders, citing these as reasons they turned to drugs like opioids.
Jada Pinkett Smith
Jada Pinkett Smith, wife of Will Smith and host of “Red Table Talk” on Facebook has spoken with a number of guests about their life experiences. Amidst these talks, she’s also opened up about her own struggles, namely with drug addiction. Pinkett Smith has opened up about her drug addiction as well as her sex addiction in recent years and speaks about how she and her family are constantly working on bettering themselves.
Carrie Fisher
Carrie Fisher, well-known for playing Princess Leia in the Star Wars trilogy struggled with alcohol and drug addiction for years before getting sober at the age of 29. Like many other celebrities on this list, she too struggled with bipolar disorder. For Fisher, sobriety and addiction were a cycle, as she relapsed many times in her life. Upon her death in 2016, coroners found cocaine, Heroin, Methadone, alcohol, and ecstasy in her system. However, this was not ruled as the cause of her death.
Robert Downey Jr.
Robert Downey Jr., famous for playing Tony Stark/Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has had quite the battle with drugs in his career. For quite some time, he was unhireable because of his relationship with alcohol and drugs, and he was even arrested for drug use at one point. Downey Jr. struggled with addiction to both heroin and cocaine but is now known for his incredible recovery and consistent sobriety.
Seek Treatment for Substance Abuse Disorder
What many of these celebrities have in common is that they reached out for help (or were given help) when they needed it. Without treatment for their substance abuse disorders, such as rehab, these celebrities may not have ever found sobriety. Because celebrities are in the public eye, we often judge them harshly, putting a lot of pressure on them. This can lead to addiction.
The same is true of regular people. With a lot of pressure, anyone can break under the stress. Co-occurring disorders like bipolar disorder and depression can also drive people to drink or use drugs.
Many of these celebrities have been able to find happy and successful lives and careers with the help of effective treatment. If you or someone you love is struggling with substance abuse or alcohol addiction, contact Asheville Recovery Center to learn more about our treatment programs. We’re ready to help you get and stay sober.
