Three celebrities that you might not know are sober
Recently, we here at The Addictions Academy and The Addictions Coach have started a monthly post on celebrities that you might not know are sober. Once a month, we take a hard look at three “surprise” candidates and tell their story of triumph over the deadly cycle of addiction and how they are using their celebrity status to help others who are caught up in their own addictions. Some of these celebrities use their time to work with addicts while some celebrities use their finances to help others. We here in the addictions industry and recovery community will take any help these celebrities can give us even if it is just their celebrity influence that keeps addicts from using. So, lets take a few moments to look at three celebrities who you might not know are sober today.
1. EMINEM– I think we all know the infamous hip hop artist named Marshall Mathers who goes by the stage name Eminem. Did you know that at one point in his career, Eminem made the most drug references in the history of hip hop music! His addiction took him to astonishing periods of chemical influence and dependency. At one point he was taking 20 pain pills a day along with his Ambien that he famously references many times in his music. He tried, many times to get sober and even overdosed on methadone around 2007. But in 2008, something just clicked. He entered a program and began stacking good days on top of each other until he got to the point that he is at today. Today, Eminem is 11 years sober!
2. ROB LOWE– The Hollywood heart throb, who has starred in many movies and TV shows, was a hardcore addict at one time. Alcohol was his number one drug and he abused it hard. But on May 10, 1990 Rob Lowe gave it all up. Mr. Lowe actually told Oprah that he really enjoyed rehab. Well, not actually going to rehab, but he really enjoyed learning the science of addiction and how to battle the deadly cycle of addiction. Rob’s number one coping mechanism for his addiction is EXERCISE! He obsessed himself with replacing his drinking days with days of working out. Mr. Lowe also used his vanity as a motivating factor in staying clean and keeping himself in great shape. Mr. Lowe said, “Im vain as fuck!” He too began stacking good days on top of each other one day at a time and before he knew it, Rob had 29 years sober. Mr. Lowe is very vocal in his support for others who are struggling with their addictions. He is always one of the first to publicly support other celebrities who have issues with drugs and alcohol.
3. MATT BRADLEY-Matt is one of the star fishermen in the reality show “Deadliest Catch”. He has one of the most dangerous jobs on the planet, Alaskan crab fishing! These crab fishermen, like Matt, go out on the boat for months at a time while braving some of Mother Nature’s most abusive and dangerous weather conditions known to man! The stress and pressure of the physical and mental demands of this job send a high number of these fishermen running to drugs and/or alcohol. And if these stresses aren’t enough, figure in the fact that these fishermen spend months at sea while their weekly pay checks just keep stacking on top of each other and by the time they dock and their fishing trip is over, each member will walk off the boat and right into their cycle of addiction with sometimes close to $50k. Matt got caught up in his addiction to cocaine and heroin and was quickly spending a lot of the money he was working so hard for. Something had to give in a positive way. Matt began seeing people around him progressing in life while he continued to get high and abuse drugs and alcohol. That’s when he decided to give it all up and get clean and sober. It wasn’t all cupcakes and butterflies, as Matt relapsed a time or two, but soon things clicked for good and he was well on his way to permanent sobriety. The main thing that keeps Matt clean and sober is “giving back”. Yeah, I know…..how cliche, right? Well it’s true. I saved Matt for last because he is a personal friend of mine and I don’t think I’ve ever met a recovering addict who gives back to the recovery community more than Matt Bradley. He is constantly helping the homeless or helping other struggling addicts who are desperately trying to follow his footsteps to recovery. I know one thing for sure, if I was still actively using and could pick ONE person here on earth to help me get clean and sober, but more importantly, stay clean and sober it would be MATT BRADLEY for sure! Matt is currently celebrating almost 6 years of sobriety!
So there you have it. This month’s list of three celebrities that you might not know were clean and sober. All three of these celebrities are playing a major role in influencing others to get clean and sober and stay clean and sober, whether they are actually aware of it or not. And we need as many people, whether celebrity status or not, to help battle this deadly cycle of addiction. If you yourself are struggling with drugs and/or alcohol or know someone who is please contact are elite team here at The Addictions Coach at http://www.
