Celebrities who’ve struggled with addiction

Celebrities who’ve struggled with addiction

Addiction does not discriminate by gender, social class, race, or creed. It is a disease that touches everyone in one way or another. Even celebrities are not immune. Here are some celebrities that have struggled with addiction.

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Robert Downey Jr.

Robert Downey Jr.’s acting career started in the 1980’s, and he began to be nominated for awards in the 1990’s. Unfortunately, this is also around the time that his personal life began to spiral out of control. Starting in 1996, Downey’s struggles with addiction became a big problem in his acting career. He was arrested numerous times on drug-related charges, went to several treatment programs, and spent a lot of time incarcerated and on probation. In 1999, he spent a year in prison.

After five years of substance abuse, arrests, rehab, and relapse, Robert Downey Jr. finally got clean in 2003. His struggles with addiction had cost him many roles and the trust of the acting community, but since he’s given up drugs, his career has revived. By 2008, Robert Downey, Jr. was firmly back on Hollywood’s A List with the release of the blockbuster films Iron Man and Tropic Thunder.

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Drew Barrymore

Since the 1982 release of the movie ET, Drew Barrymore has been in the spot light. At 6 years old, she captured America’s heart in the most popular movie of all time. Drew Barrymore’s struggles with addiction also started at a very young age.  She had her first drink at 9, began smoking marijuana at 10 and at 12 took up cocaine. She landed in her first rehab at just 13 years old. After several stints in rehab as a teen, Drew seems to have gotten her life back on track. She admits she is not completely sober, but alcohol and drugs no longer seem to rule her life, although her sometimes crazy stunts as a celebrity cause some to question this.

Eric Clapton

Widely regarded as one of the best rock and blues guitarists to ever live, Eric Clapton has struggled with addiction. By the time he went solo in 1970, he was drinking heavily and addicted to heroin. In 1971, he passed out on stage at a concert. His personal life was also heavily affected by his drug and alcohol life. After nearly 2 decades of struggling with addiction, Clapton declared himself sober in 1989. Throughout the 1990’s, Clapton has helped others who have struggled with addiction. In 1998, he opened the Crossroads Centre, a nonprofit rehab in Antigua. He has since sold two of his guitars to help fund the treatment program.

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Gary Oldman

Gary Old man is very open about his struggles with alcoholism. In the 1990’s, a string of alcohol-fueled incidents led him to check into rehab. In 2001, he called himself a recovering alcoholic in an interview and credited Alcoholics Anonymous for his sobriety. In fact, some say he met his current wife at an AA meeting. Today he remains a very successful actor, with a penchant for playing dark roles.

If you or someone you know needs treatment for their addiction call us at 800-951-6135 or visit us online at www.palmpartners.com.