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5 Celebrities Who Overcame Addiction

5 Celebrities Who Overcame Addiction

Every celebrity’s story of overcoming addiction has much to teach us, whether we are addicted or not, or have been to alcohol detox or drug rehab or not. And it doesn’t seem to matter whether the actress or actor had an addiction to cocaine, heroin, meth, alcohol, opiates, or marijuana. Here’s a list of five celebrities that overcame their addiction. Their stories are inspiring to all of us and offer truths in life. See if you agree with the truths chosen from their stories.

1. Oprah Winfrey

The fact is that you can’t go from being impoverished to being one of the richest people in the world and one of the top authorities in the media. Hundreds of life’s experiences happen in between these two times in life. While in her 20s, Oprah probably didn’t have the vision of what she’d become later in life. Like the rest of us, she plugged away at life, one day at a time. And during her 20s, she admits to drug addiction with crack cocaine as her drug of choice. She used it with a boyfriend. Like many others, the social group she was running with wasn’t doing her any good. Doing cocaine was her secret. Oprah claims that she was more addicted to her boyfriend than to the drugs. Being high on “love”, she seemed to overcome her addiction without the aid of a drug rehab center. But she also admits to the highest power in the universe as part of her recovery:  “…what I know is the spirit of God inside us all. There is nothing greater than the spirit within you to overcome this. You and God can conquer this.” 12-step process programs have long been a part of the addiction recovery and rehab process, confirming what Oprah believed. Over 20 years later, she’s produced and/or hosted more than 3500 television shows on all types of various topics. Some of them have included:

  • Can Addicts Be Helped If They’re Not Ready?
  • What Happened After Tammy Lost Her Children
  • Claire’s Journey From Athlete to Addict
  • How This Mother Became a Heroin Addict

Doing cocaine was her secret. But Oprah has used that dark time in her life as a stepping stone to help others. Her truth to us all:  Trust in God to help, and use the experience for good.

2. Eminem (Marshall Mathers), Grammy award winner, rapper

Painkiller drugs called opiates can lead the way to addiction and addiction treatment programs. It contributed to the painkiller opiate addiction that Eminem had back in 2007 when he weighed 230 pounds. The cause of his weight gain, he claims, was that Valium and Vicodin caused a hole in his stomach and insomnia. The use of many painkillers causes many changes in the body, and internal bleeding is one of them. The constant pain in his stomach drove him to eat as a way to stop the pain. This wasn’t the first time that Eminem was addicted to drugs and in need of rehab. Back in 2001, it was Elton John that helped him get over his addiction. His drug use took a big chunk of 5 years out of his life, making them totally unproductive and on the brink of death. He was on the verge of organ shutdown and the need for dialysis. With drug addiction, the body’s dopamine production is very low. Dopamine helps you stay happy. So Eminem knew he had to find some way of generating “happy brain chemicals” such as dopamine and turned to exercise to get his life back.  Running was his next obsession and he substituted exercise for the heroin, and he’d run 8-1/2 miles morning and night. Injuries from running followed. Still, he was able to overcome his drug addictions and dedicated two of his music albums to the process of rehab and recovery. What didn’t he teach us? That substituting one addiction for another isn’t the solution. We have to go deeper to the root of the problem. Whatever we put our trust and faith in – unless it’s 100% real – will fail us.

3. Robert Downey, Jr.

One of the world’s highest-paid actors, Robert Downey, Jr. also had to learn the lessons people learn at drug rehab and drug detox.  He had to go through the drug counseling, a drug detox program and a drug rehab program in order to reclaim his life. But he also had to go through some jail time to get to the sober state he’s in right now. His addiction started in childhood and included heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine. His drug addiction made him lose acting jobs at one time in his life and some reports state he escaped from drug rehab twice. With all this loss, you have to wonder what the lesson is – and what the truth learned is. Perhaps for Robert Downey, Jr., it has to do with understanding that genetics may have a lot to do with drug addiction and the need for drug detox and drug rehab later in life. He inherited it and passed it on to his son, Indio, too. But despite genetics, there still comes a time when you have to decide for yourself it’s time for drug detox and drug rehab. And the time to move into what you’re really called to do in life.

4. Angelina Jolie

Last year, a 1999 video of Angelina pacing back and forth while under the influence of drugs showed up on Youtube. Her talking frantically gives you a clue to her heroin and cocaine addiction. Angelina admitted to the world that her past was checkered with all types of drug abuse. But once she was engaged to Brad Pitt and it was time to start a family, this became a much better carrot dangling at the end of a stick.  changed all that. One UK newspaper article stated this about the video: “… (Angelina) looks painfully thin in the footage and a far cry from the humanitarian and respected activist she is today.” Her story brings out the truth that one’s past can always catch up with us, even long after addiction treatment at a drug detox center is completed. And that if you ever become a celebrity, the world will judge you unkindly. However, it’s possible all your humanitarian efforts will shine brighter.

5. Demi Lovato

This celebrity has admitted to several types of addictions to alcohol and drugs. She went to rehab in 2010 and overcame them – but luckily was at a drug rehab facility where dual diagnosis was addressed. The counselors for the drug addiction facility also worked with her to battle the psychological issue she faced regarding hurting herself. What’s the truth here? It could be that unless you address all the psychological issues associated not only with drug addiction but also to life, then you decrease your chances of recovery.

What Should You Do if You or Your Loved One is Struggling with Addiction?

Northpoint Recovery has complete drug detox programs for cocaine addiction, opiate addiction, heroin addiction and alcohol detox in Idaho. Drug detox is just the start of the recovery process; it’s followed by drug rehab for cocaine, opiate addiction, heroin, and alcohol addiction. Call us today to find out how your drug addiction program can be customized to you – and lead you to sobriety. Find out more at NorthpointRecovery.com