Jessica Simpson and 5 other celebrities who have overcome drug/alcohol abuse

Singer and actress, Jessica Simpson celebrates four years of sobriety with an inspiring Instagram post.

Marking her freedom from the addiction which kept her trapped in the same spot for so long, Jessica shared a photo from 2017 when she was at her lowest. “This person in the early morning of Nov 1, 2017 is an unrecognizable version of myself. I had so much self discovery to unlock and explore. I knew in this very moment I would allow myself to take back my light, show victory over my internal battle of self respect, and brave this world with piercing clarity,” the caption read.

Jessica added that, to achieve this feat, she had to stop drinking alcohol. “…because it kept my mind and heart circling in the same direction and quite honestly I was exhausted,” she added. Commenting on alcoholism as an addiction, she wrote: “There is so much stigma around the word alcoholism or the label of an alcoholic. The real work that needed to be done in my life was to actually accept failure, pain, brokenness, and self sabotage. The drinking wasn’t the issue, I was. I didn’t love myself. I didn’t respect my own power. Today I do.”

It is always good to see someone conquer an addiction and regain control of their life. Jessica’s story is one of many in the entertainment industry, and in this article, we will touch on 5 other celebrities who overcame drug and alcohol abuse.

1. Robert Downey Jr.

Beloved Hollywood star, widely known for his role as Iron Man in the MCU films, had a very rough patch between the mid-1990s and early 2000s. During this period, Downey was arrested numerous times on charges related to drugs, including cocaine, h----n, and marijuana. In April 1996, he was arrested for possession of h----n, cocaine, and an unloaded .357 Magnum handgun. He eventually spent 6 months in jail for missing one of his court-ordered drug tests. This series of arrests and probation went on till 2001, till he was checked into a compulsory rehab prison. He has been sober since 2003 and attributes that to his wife, family, therapy, meditation, and yoga, amongst other things.

Related article: Will Smith reveals he once considered suicide.

2. Ben Affleck

According to his Wikipedia page, there is a history of addiction and mental illness in Affleck’s family, and two of his grandparents were alcoholics. His paternal uncle, his aunt, dad, and brother all had addiction issues. It was almost set in stone that he, too, would be a victim of one of the different kinds of addiction. Ben’s first bout with alcoholism happened in his teenage years, and he was sent to an Outward Bound wilderness camp for at-risk teenagers. He was sober in his 20s and relapsed again further down the line. Affleck didn’t deem his condition an addiction. To him, he was merely drinking normally. But, he was drinking enough to pass out every night. He had another round of residential treatment in 2017 but was again seen stumbling on the streets of LA in 2019.

Now, he is a recovering alcoholic and believes the value in talking about his condition is ‘that that doesn’t have to be who you are. That doesn’t have to be the label on your head.’

3. Jamie Lee Curtis

American actress and author Jamie Lee Curtis is a recovering alcoholic. She also had a substance addiction which started after undergoing surgery. Painkillers felt like a way for her to gain a sense of control but led to her stealing pain medications and turning to drugs during difficult times. She became sober from opiates in 1999 after reading and relating to Tom Chiarella’s account of addiction. Jamie is now an advocate for policies to reduce opioid misuse.

Related article: Biography of transgender woman Ruby Guest.

4. Matthew Perry

If you watched the famous NBC TV sitcom Friends, then you know Matthew Langford Perry. The Canadian-American actor, executive producer, and comedian is best known for his role as Chandler Bing in the series. Perry also completed a 28-day program in 1997 for a Vicodin addiction. In 2001, he entered rehab again for addiction to the drug as well as for methadone, amphetamines, and alcohol addiction. Perry received a Champion of Recovery award in May 2013 from the White House and has been sober for some time now; he hopes his story inspires others.

5. Dax Shepard 

Shepard is an American actor, comedian, writer, director, and podcast host. He is also the husband of actress Kristen Bell. His substance abuse problem started when he was 18, though he once used drugs at a time in high school. After struggling for years, Shepard achieved sobriety in September 2005 but relapsed in 2020. This happened during his recovery from an accident. Dax revealed on an episode of his podcast that he bought painkillers to augment a prescription. He has, however, remained clean ever since. Every morning, he writes in his journal to remind him of the recovery process.

This goes to show that Jessica Simpson is not alone when it comes to celebrities battling addiction. Their strength should go on to inspire people facing the same thing. You may also like to read our latest article, Best romantic places for a trip with your boyfriend.