Celebrities, the same as other people can be affected by substance abuse. Society has lost many talented, creative people because they couldn’t or didn’t know how to cope with addiction. The gloomy story about the 27 club members, young musicians who died at the age of 27 mostly from an overdose, is just one of many examples of how devastating it can be.
Thankfully, things are changing as nowadays many celebrities are openly speaking about their problem with substances. They are sending a powerful message by revealing first-hand experience about their battle with alcohol, drugs or pain killers: Anyone can become addicted and everyone can beat the addiction!
Of course, it is not as easy as it seems. Or cheap, for that matter. Celebrities are able to seek help in the most prestigious and expensive rehabilitation clinics in the world and stay there as long as needed. They are in a position to finance it and to avoid toxic surroundings, stressful work or any other reason that pushed them toward addiction. But, financial leverage can also turn against them at any moment. They can relapse easily as they are capable of buying alcohol or drugs whenever they want. Due to all of the above, they are somewhat targeted and probably can find substances in their environment more frequently than the average person can. This could be the main reason why many celebrities have started their journey to addiction with alcohol, the most accessible addictive substance.
So, does this mean that people who are not in the same position, as celebrity addicts are, don’t stand a chance against addiction? Of course, not! When a person decides to quit drinking, the first step can be a call to the alcohol crisis line https://addictionresource.com/alcohol/treatment/hotlines/. This phone number is managed by experienced professionals who understand alcoholism and its effects on addicts and their lives. This and other similar services are available 24/7 and can provide valuable information and encouragement to start the recovery and seek the right treatment. They can also give guidelines to the family and friends on how to address the problem and start a conversation about it.
Making this call is just the beginning of the journey to sobriety for many, the celebrities are not an exception. Some of them made that call and have successfully stopped drinking or using drugs.
Another difference between the famous alcoholic and the anonymous one are the spotlights. Let’s imagine the situation in which overnight the whole world finds out about your drinking problem? Terrifying isn’t it, and you are not even a celebrity. When they call an alcohol addiction hotline and introduce themselves, it doesn’t matter that there will be no reaction to their name. They probably wonder or suspect that person on the other end of the line knows who they are and what they do. It takes a lot of strength and courage for famous people to expose their weaknesses in the open, for everyone to judge and criticize. The good thing is that many of them turned the situation around by aiming the spotlights toward the problem. This is how a new trend, also known as a drug-free lifestyle, was born.
The problem with a transparent life is that you are no longer able to keep your things exclusively to yourself and fight your battles in the privacy of your own home. This fact can produce additional pressure on addicts, during their recovery. Let’s be totally honest and say that exposing personal problems to the public can be praised but it could also mean the end of someone’s carrier. However, when a famous person says that, after calling an AA helpline they joined the AA group and now, they are sober for months, it can have an influence on many. This is how someone’s learning a hard but valuable life lesson can become a powerful tool and a useful way to draw attention to the message that sobriety is possible.
Unfortunately, the proof that things are changing often cannot be found in the still small number of statistics. However, it is obvious that the cultural shift is developing, especially among young people. By following the drug-free trend, they are inspired to focus on activities that are more valuable for the quality of their social life than alcohol and drug consumption is. These messages, sent by celebrities, about the alcohol help phone numbers or hotlines and their influence on the recovery process, made local authorities aware of the need to open help center branches in small cities and less populated areas, closer to people who need their assistance.
Some celebrities are vocal advocates who give motivational speeches about alcoholism and drug addiction in schools. Others write books and give interviews, talking about their experience with substance abuse in details and discussing the relapses before they reached their long-term sobriety. On social media sites, sobriety influencers are shifting the meaning of the expression ‘good time’. They are posting pictures of the life moments they are enjoying, free from drugs or alcohol. Most of them are optimistic about the present cultural interest in sobriety and the change in how young people talk about it online nowadays.
These and many other celebrities are all active in promoting a substance-free lifestyle as a new beginning; a chance for a better life for addicts as well as for their families.
So, if you or someone close to you is struggling with addiction, don’t hesitate to seek help. Visit a nearby AA center or call a drug or alcohol helpline in your area. Talk to professionals and members of support groups. You’ll hear that the way out exists, but you need to make a decision to quit first. There will be ups and downs, in the beginning, but eventually things will get better.
Nothing more convenient to conclude this article than the quote from Rob Lowe’s quarter-century of sobriety celebration tweet:
‘To those struggling with addiction, there is true, real, hope. Twenty-five years ago today, I found recovery and a life of promise. #Grateful’.
Image by Denise Husted from Pixabay
