Whether it be Park Avenue or a park bench, addiction has many faces. Addiction affects over 20 million Americans and celebrities are no exception. Some of Hollywood’s top actors have hit bottom but were able to rise to the top. Here is a list of some of the celebrities who have made a comeback in recovery and aren’t afraid to share the gift of recovery with others.
Robert Downey Jr Shares the Gift of Recovery
It’s next to impossible not to reference Downey when it comes to celebrities making a comeback in recovery. The Iron Man star became infamous for his numerous run-ins with the law. Downey has been sober for over a decade now and recently just received a “full and unconditional pardon” for the drug conviction that landed him in prison back in 1999. Just last month, he was among 91 other people granted pardons by California Governor Jerry Brown. He has spoken openly about his struggles with addiction and the strength he found in recovery. Downey has been among the top stars in Hollywood since his comeback and remains active in the rooms of 12 step recovery.
Russell Brand
The actor and comedian is very open about his recovery and has been very proactive in speaking out on the subject. He has even pleaded with the British government and the United Nations to change exorbitant drug laws. He states “Addiction is a mental illness around which there is a great deal of confusion, which is hugely exacerbated by the laws that criminalize drug addicts.” Brand has even been the focus of a documentary titled Russell Brand: From Addiction to Recovery, where he discusses his own journeys and takes a sympathetic look at the subject and how he sees it as being very misunderstood in our culture.
Kristen Johnston
The actress, best known for her role on 3rd Rock from the Sun and her starring role in The Exes, struggled with a severe prescription drug addiction to painkillers for years and described herself as a “pill-popping lush” in her NY Times bestselling memoir GUTS: The Endless Follies and Tiny Triumphs of a Giant Disaster. She has spoken publicly on her past issues with addiction and her recovery and appeared in the film The Anonymous People, a documentary about the millions of Americans that struggle with addiction and those in recovery who are members of 12-step programs.
Rob Lowe
A long-standing name in the entertainment industry, Lowe has been on stage since he was 15 and has previously opened up about his past battles with addiction in his autobiography Stories I Only Tell My Friends. Lowe found his way into recovery at the tail end of a large media scandal in 1990 and never left. Just last May, Lowe celebrated 25 years of sobriety. “Being in recovery has given me everything of value that I have in my life,” Lowe states. “Integrity, honesty, fearlessness, faith, a relationship with God, and most of all gratitude. It’s given me a beautiful family and an amazing career. I’m under no illusions where I would be without the gift of alcoholism and the chance to recover from it.”
Eminem
The famous rapper has been known to wear 12 step medallions on stage and sings at length about his struggles with prescription drug addiction and his recovery. At the height of his addiction, he says he was taking as much as 60 pills a day. Even a close brush with death didn’t stop him from using at first. He cites his children as being one of the prime motivators to helping him get clean. Since finding his way into recovery, Eminem has continued to soar as a musician and continues to speak out publicly about his past and his gratefulness for recovery.
Danny Trejo
The iconic “tough guy” in Hollywood, Trejo’s journey through recovery is quite the story. As a teen, he did numerous stints in juvenile halls and prison. In his mid-20’s, he was released from prison and made the decision to get sober. Trejo was even working as a drug counselor prior to his extensive career in Hollywood. During this time, he was called to help a client on the movie set. He was later asked to be an on-set boxing coach and was soon cast as an extra. This small role jumpstarted his acting career and the rest was history. Trejo has been sober for 46 years sober and continues to mentor young people, in hopes of helping stray them away from the violent lifestyle he took part in prior to his recovery. Trejo states “Everything good that has happened to me has happened as a direct result of helping someone else.”
The Gift of Recovery Starts with a Phone Call
Morningside Recovery in Orange County, CA can help you beat your addiction. If these people have the courage to face addiction and win, you can, too. Give us a call at 855-631-2135. We have a program that suits you perfectly. The gift of recovery can be yours.
