01/11/2021
☆ Celebrities who overcame he**in addiction ☆
Anyone can find themselves trapped in a cycle of use and abuse no matter who they are or where they come from. Addiction has spared no one, no matter how powerful and successful they are. Some of the biggest names in the world are not immune to the effects of addiction. Singers, musicians, actors, powerful politicians, all have found themselves trapped in the viscous circle of addiction at some point of their lives and career. Some of the biggest names in the celebrity world have opened up before the whole world about their substance abuse and their Recovery. By sharing their stories they have decreased the social stigma associated with addiction and substance abuse. It's clear from their stories that anyone can be affected by addiction. They have showed that it's not easy to be on this path and, also, that anyone can overome substance abuse and Recover. The following are some of my favourite celebrities who have fought long battles with substance abuse and who have overcome it.
1. Macklemore :- Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, know worldwide by his stage name "Macklemore, is well-known for the socially-aware music he writes and performs. He’s also known for his vocal support of those in recovery and those who wants to quit he**in. His support stems from his own struggles with substance abuse throughout his teenage years and into his 20s.Macklemore’s journey into substance abuse started at the age of 13 or 14 when he raided his parent’s liquor cabinet. He described his first time drinking during an interview with MTV: He took 12 shots when he drank alcohol for the first time in life. Though Macklemore didn’t progress to he**in, he battled a severe addiction to painkillers and other prescription opioids. He attended rehab in August 2008 after which he remained sober for three years. Unfortunately, he had a short but significant relapse in 2011 but recommitted to his sobriety soon after. Since then he has become a champion of the Recovery Movement. He’s released multiple songs about the struggles of substance abuse including “Starting Over” and “Drug Dealer.” He appeared in one of Barack Obama’s weekly addresses in 2016 to raise awareness about the dangers of addiction, drawing from his own experiences. He was recognized for his addiction recovery advocacy in 2019 when MusiCares presented him with the Stevie Ray Vaughan Award. Macklemore remains sober and outspoken for the Recovery Movement to this day.
2. Keith Richards :-Keith Richard, is an English musician, singer, and songwriter, who has achieved international fame as the co-founder, guitarist, secondary vocalist, and co-principal songwriter of the Rolling Stones. Keith Richards had his own wild experience in the world of s*x, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll. His contributions to the world of music are legendary but he didn’t make that mark without making waves. He found his name plastered in headlines for being on the wrong side of the law from the late 1960s. There are countless stories to pull from when looking back at his he**in-laced past. He was arrested once in London when the police found numerous illicit substances including he**in, ma*****na, and Mandrax tablets. On 27th February 1977 the Royal Canadian Mounted Police arrested Richards from a hotel room in Toronto and found 22 grams of he**in and 5 grams of co***ne in his possession. He was placee on probation following his trial for possession of illegal drugs and attended treatment for his he**in addiction. Following this Richards was able to leave the harsh world of he**in and has stayed clean throughout his later years.
3. Russell Brand :- The name Russell Brand is famous throughout the world as an English comedian, radio host and actor. He is equally famous throughout the world for another reason, his struggle with he**in addiction. The English comedian extraordinaire is outspoken about the years he spent grappling with alcohol and other substances. He started using at the age of 19 and felt immediately at ease in the haze of his he**in high. Brand openly discusses his inability to cope with the complexity of life and the comfort he found in the easy escape that substances provide. These feelings are all too familiar for anyone who has a history of substance abuse. It’s hard to let go of the simple, fast-acting solution that becomes a consistent source of comfort over time. Drugs softened the sting of loneliness, alienation, and disconnection that plagued Brand when he was younger. He chased that first he**in high for 15 years until he came crashing down to his rock bottom in 2003. Chip Sommers, Brand’s manager at the time, stepped in for a timely intervention. He warned Brand of the inevitable outcome of his he**in addiction. That was the moment he decided to join a 12-step program and, after that, he never looked back. Now he is clean for 17 years. In his book Recovery: Freedom from Our Addictions he has penned his own spin on the 12-step program and his experiences on Recovery.
4. Robert Downey, Jr. :- The name and man needs no introduction. Robert Downey, Jr. had a very public and very hard "fall from grace" as a result of his he**in addiction. He finally settled down on the decision to quit he**in when he hit rock bottom. Downey Jr. was exposed to drugs at the very young age of 6 when his father allowed him to smoke ma*****na. After that 30 years of substance abuse, failed attempts at Recovery, numerous tries at treatments and time behind bars. He played the role of a kid trapped in the throes of he**in addiction in the 1987 movie Less Than Zero. Robert Downey, Jr. Robert Downey, Jr. Downey noted that his role in Less than Zero felt like an exaggerated version of himself. As time passed, though, he pointed out that he became an exaggerated version of that character. In June 1996 he was arrested while carrying both co***ne and he**in then cited for trespassing while under the influence three weeks later. The five years that followed were filled with debauchery and his name plastered in headlines. Still, even after that, it took a 12-month prison sentence, two additional arrests, and a final court-ordered drug rehab for him to call it quits. Robert Downey Jr. got clean and sober in July of 2003 and has stayed that way since.
5. Steven Tyler :- Steven Tyler of Aerosmith was notorious for his incredible he**in addiction, among struggles with other substances. He and Joe Perry, the band’s guitar player, were referred to as the “Toxic Twins” due to their habits for he**in and other assorted pleasantries, especially during the 1970s and 1980s. Despite the raging drug use of all its members, Aerosmith commanded Billboard charts and TV screens throughout the 1980s. Tyler and his bandmates operated under the idea that their substance use fueled higher quality work and more intense performances. Though it felt like the perfect solution for years, Tyler hit rock bottom in 1988 and found himself at the center of an intervention. He went to rehab with the encouragement of loved ones and achieved his first stint of sobriety. He didn’t stay clean and sober, though, and relapsed despite numerous attempts over several years. Most recently he struggled not with he**in but with its legal counterpart: prescription painkillers and sleeping meds. He checked in for another stay in rehab that set him on the path of recovery once again. As of this year, 71-year-old Tyler now has nine years of continuous clean and sober time. He credits that initial intervention as the catalyst that made it possible for him to remain drug-free, as well as the reason he is still alive today.
6. Eric Clapton :- The name and man needs no introduction. One of the best guitarist of the world, he stuggled with substance abuse, especially he**in, in the 70s. According to him he used to spend $16000 every week on he**in. He was under the impression that everything was okay as he was able to afford his addiction. The darkest period of his he**in addciton lasted for about 3 years before he was able to quit he**in. But that was not the end of his journey though. Clapton shifted from he**in addiction to alcohol and co***ne, a far cry from clean and sober. He continued using the concoction through the 70s until he finally checked into drug and alcohol rehab in 1982. When Clapton's 4 years old son Connor died, he shocked the world by stayin sober. The death of a child is one of the most difficult thing anyone can experience. Rather than drinking again or relapsing on his he**in addiction, Clapton channeled the pain into his music. He wrote Tears in Heaven, a song about his loss that went on to become one of his most famous songs.
☆ Escaping the Depths of He**in Addiction ☆
Despite the difficulties that follow getting clean, he**in addiction doesn’t have to be the end of the road. If you’re stuck deep within the cycle of addiction, there is a way out. Reach out to a qualified addiction treatment program, somewhere like Peace Valley Recovery, where you can find the help and support you need. Follow the lead of those who overcame their he**in addiction and ask for help today. Speak with certified and knowledgeable counselors who can connect you with the right rehab program for you.
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