When you’re rich and famous, the world feels like it’s at your fingertips but sometimes that freedom can lead to excess. When everyone is trying to get a piece of you, it can be hard to turn things around, but here are some inspiring celebrities who have overcome their demons and managed to give up alcohol.
Some of them hit rock bottom, others didn’t quite make it that far, but they all manage to find fulfillment in their lives in different ways, without turning to alcohol.
While celebrities may have more temptations than the average person, when they’re living a jet-setting lifestyle, traveling all around the world, socializing with countless people, attesting parties – they also have better access to support systems than the average person. But you don’t have to be a famous celebrity to get help or to go to rehab, in fact a stay at rehab could even be covered by your health insurance and all you need to do is set aside the time for it. Of course, that’s still a luxury that not everyone has, but we believe that seeking treatment should be a priority for people who need it, when it’s a matter of getting help and getting better or risking your life – it’s worth doing what it takes to get help.
Even thought celebrities live different lives than the rest of us, sometimes they can act as role models or examples, and sometimes seeing them accomplish something can be the inspiration that you need. If you’re not someone who is smitten by celebrities, then this list probably won’t inspire you more than a list of any random 7 people who overcame addiction, and that’s okay! But if you see celebrities as role models, and this list helps you realize that we’re all human beings who struggle with the same things, we hope you’ll find some solace in their recovery and the knowledge that things can get better and your best years are still ahead!
We all know plenty of celebrity alcoholics who didn’t get the help they needed, but we hope you’ll be inspired by these celebrities who quit drinking and saved their lives and careers.
5. Robert Downey Junior
Robert Downey Junior had a successful career in his earlier years, while he was battling alcoholism and addictions to other substances. We had hit rock bottom many times, but hadn’t been able to turn his life around – until we was able to do it. Sometimes, that’s just how it goes.
And after giving up alcohol, Robert Downey Junior went on to star in Iron Man and plenty of other Marvel movies including The Avengers, and went on to be a key player in some of the most successful movies of all time.
When he was at his lowest, do you think he knew that his career would reach unthinkable heights in just a few years?
If you’re at your lowest, you may never star in a Hollywood blockbuster or several of them, but there is still time to turn your life around and to accomplish things you never thought were possible when you were at your lowest.
4. Dax Shepard
This comedic actor attributes his wife, actress Kristen Bell, his babies, and finding self-esteem for finding sobriety over a decade ago.
That’s right, even a wildly recognizable comedian who has been in tons of movies can suffer from self-esteem problems and turn to the bottle to combat them.
In September of 2020, he announced that he had relapsed after 16 years of sobriety, and had been abusing pain pills. This openness is admirable, since he’s someone who often appears on lists of people who have overcome addiction, and he could have easily kept it hidden from the public eye and dealt with it in private, but he wanted to be honest with his fans and those who look up to him as a role model for recovery.
Dax Shepard’s relapse shouldn’t discourage you, it should remind you that it’s an on-going battle and there will be setbacks, but you can always get back on the horse, even when you fall off.
Recovery isn’t a one-time thing, and Dax Shepard reminds us of this. We commend him for his strength to come forward and to talk about his struggles.
3. Kristin Davis
She starred in Sex and the City, but her acting career almost didn’t make it. In an interview, she talked about having a similar realization as Bradley Cooper discussed, where she just didn’t see herself making it past 30 if she kept up her habits.
“I realized it was not going to end well. I got into the acting program, it was very challenging, I was hungover and I wasn’t doing so well in my classes. I thought, “Do you know what? It’s going to be one or the other. I can’t really have both.”
Kristin Davis
When you have a passion in life, and vision, and something you’re aiming for, that can be a huge motivation to give up alcohol. But what if you don’t have those things? That’s even more reason to keep going, to find your passion, because it’s never too late to start living a completely different life if that’s what you want.
2. Zac Efron
This former teenage heart throb has had a long career in front of the camera and in the public eye. In 2013, he checked into rehab for alcohol and substance abuse and started living a sober life. In a 2016 interview, he said:
“You get out of life what you put in. Crossing the line is what leads to greatness.”
Zac Efron, in an interview with Elle Magazine.
1. Bradley Cooper
This leading-man gave up alcohol at the age of 29, when he realized that it could have a serious impact on his life if he continued down the path he was on.
“if I continued it, I was really going to sabotage my whole life.”
Bradley Cooper
Not everybody is fortunate enough to make this realization when they’re still young enough to have their entire life ahead of time, but even if you come to this realizing a bit later in life, you’ve still got more life to live. Even if you feel like you’ve already sabotaged your life, you’re still here, reading this right now, and that’s what matters.
Bradley may not have gotten to the absolute limit of what he could survive, like somebody like RDJ, but it can still be great to reach out for help before things get to that point, if you can. If not, now is still the best time to seek help.
Celebrity Alcoholics & Your Own Life
As we mentioned earlier, you probably aren’t living the celebrity lifestyle, so you might not relate perfectly to celebrity alcoholics but this still goes to show you that even celebrities, with their seemingly perfect lives, deal with a lot of the same struggles as the rest of us. Whether they make a clean break, or if some of these alcoholic celebrities end up relapsing and starting their recoveries over, we admire their openness and willingness to discuss their struggles. Are you inspired by any of these celebrities who quit drinking? Where else do you find inspiration? Let us know!
