FINANCE
Celebs with Drug & Alcohol Addiction
Drug and substance abuse is a disease that does not discriminate – it affects both ordinary and prominent persons. It is not uncommon to see famous people struggling with addiction or experiencing a relapse after undergoing drug rehabilitation.
Celebrities usually find it challenging to quit, as they have easier access to addictive substances. Another factor that makes it even harder is the constant public scrutiny.
These celebrities have, in the past, struggled with drug and alcohol addiction:
1. Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie is among the most revered actresses in Hollywood. Some of the top movies she features in include Mr & Mrs. Smith, Maleficent and Tomb Raider. Jolie had a troubled childhood, and she has admitted to using cocaine, heroin, and LSD.
Hoverer, after going to a rehabilitation center, she overcame the addiction. Jolie is currently a mother of six and engages in humanitarian activities.
2. Robert Downey, Jr.
Robert started using before his teens and spent most of the early years of his acting career while struggling with addiction. He was arrested on several occasions in the late 90s and early 2000s for misusing alcohol, cocaine, and heroin. Robert went to a California prison for a while, during which he joined a state-funded drug rehab program.
He announced his recovery in 2002 and landed the starring role in Marvel’s Iron Man in 2008.
3. Lady Gaga
In November 2016, Lady Gaga admitted to having a marijuana addiction on the Elvis Duran show. She revealed that it started as an experiment and ultimately became an addiction. At the time, she was smoking at least 15 marijuana cigarettes daily, without tobacco.
4. Zac Efron
High School Musical star Zac Efron told Hollywood Reporter of his alcohol addiction in May 2014. Apparently, the Hollywood lifestyle was the reason behind his excessive use of alcohol.
Zac has since undergone a combination of alcohol rehab and counseling, and he is on the path to full recovery.
5. Demi Lovato
Demi used cocaine for the first time as 17-year-old while acting on a TV show. When she started singing, her problems with drugs and alcohol intensified. She first sought alcohol treatment in 2010, as well as mental health problems, including eating and bipolar disorders.
Last year, Demi experienced a relapse and was hospitalized for abusing heroin. She uses her music, social media, and interviews to address her addiction and attempts to recover.
6. Ben Affleck
Affleck, famous for his role as Batman in the DC Comics franchise, has severally confessed to having an alcohol addiction. He went for drug rehabilitation in 2001 and labeled his habit as a lifelong and difficult battle.
After completing his stay at an alcohol treatment center in 2018, Affleck tweeted that seeking help when you have a problem is a sign of strength, not weakness.
7. Fergie
From her outlook, Fergie seemingly had it all together throughout her illustrious singing career. The former Black Eyed Peas member, now a solo artist, revealed her addiction issues in 2012 during an episode of Oprah: Next Chapter. She used everything, including crystal meth and ecstasy. The songstress lost so much weight that she weighed 90 pounds at one point.
Moreover, Fergie developed paranoia and always thought that the FBI was monitoring her moves. She quit after seeking religious redemption.
8. Pink
Pink has had an impressive career in music, winning multiple awards and releasing several global hits. However, she has a dark past. Following an excessive use of crystal meth, ecstasy, and special K, Pink suffered from an overdose in 1995.
Although she got back on a track after a successful drug rehab program, Pink still has terrible memories from drug abuse. Her best friend succumbed to a drug overdose in 2010.
9. Brad Pitt
Brad disclosed his addiction to marijuana after featuring on the cover page of the May 2017 issue of the GQ Style magazine. He said that he hadn’t gone a day without smoking weed since he left college.
Besides weed, Brad also admitted to having an alcohol addiction. At his peak, he could drink down a Russian, who are known for their high alcohol tolerance.
10. Lamar Odom
The case of Lamar Odom is perhaps the most publicly documented celebrity drug overdose in recent time. The former LA Lakers superstars have had problems with cocaine addiction. After his separation from Khloe Kardashian and retiring from the NBA, Odom experienced massive depression, which intensified his substance abuse.
In 2015, Odom overdosed and became unconscious in a Nevada brothel. He suffered multiple strokes and kidney failure and had to live on life support for a few days before regaining consciousness.
Conclusion
As seen above, addiction cuts across all sectors in society. The world has lost many icons for drug abuse. The best way of avoiding such cases is abstaining from drugs altogether or seeking help from drug and alcohol rehab centers.