From Miley Cyrus to Ben Affleck: Stars who won their fight against substance abuse

Sobriety is not an easy journey,and it becomes more difficult so when the world is watching.

For some celebrities, the battle with substance abuse has been a difficult struggle, marked by setbacks, awareness, and ultimate growth.

Here some of the top stars who opened up about addiction head-on and found a path to recovery:

Ben Affleck:

Ben Affleck’s journey toward sobriety has been long and very complicated. Following the success of Good Will Hunting, he took his first step toward recovery.

The iconic actor told Fox News reporter, “I just wanted to stop. I started regretting some things I did when I was drunk.”

Despite multiple relapses and rehab shifts, Affleck remains committed to his sobriety.

“It took me a long time to fundamentally, deeply, without a hint of doubt, admit to myself that I am an alcoholic. The next drink will not be different,” he shared.

Reflecting on his journey, Affleck added, “I have certainly made mistakes. I have certainly done things that I regret. But you’ve got to pick yourself up, learn from it, learn some more, try to move forward.”

Matthew Perry:

Matthew Perry, who is Best known for his role as Chandler Bing on Friends, has openly discussed his lifelong battle with substance abuse.

In a November 2022 interview with CBC Radio, he reflected on why he avoids rewatching the iconic show, saying, “I was brutally thin and being beaten down so badly by the disease…. I could tell season by season by how I looked, and I don’t think anybody else can, but I certainly could.”

Perry also revealed to Diane Sawyer in 2022 that he once took 55 Vicodin per day. A life-threatening two-week coma in 2018, caused by a colon burst from opioid abuse, became a turning point.

“The doctors told my family that I had a 2% chance to live,” he recalled.

His memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, highlights his struggles and difficulty with addiction and recovery.

Miley Cyrus:

Miley Cyrus has been clear about her journey with sobriety. She observed her family history and discovered patterns of addiction as well as mental health challenges that influenced her own behaviour.

The Climb hit maker shared with Variety, "By going through that, asking ‘Why am I the way that I am?’ and understanding the past, [means] we understand the present and the future much more clearly."

Cyrus admitted to a brief lapse during quarantine but reaffirmed her commitment to sobriety.

Daniel Radcliffe:

Daniel Radcliffe, well known for his role in the Harry Potter series, opened up about the effects alcohol had on him.

In an interview with BBC Radio 4 in 2020, he said, “A lot of drinking that happened toward the end of Potter and for a little bit after it finished, it was panic, a little bit not knowing what to do next—not being comfortable enough in who I was to remain sober.”

However, the actor decided to attain sobriety and dropped drinking to focus on his career.

He has been sober since 2010 and has since thrived on Broadway and in film.

Adele:

Adele, an English singer, shared that her path to sobriety was very personal. Shortly after her divorce from Simon Konecki, she recognized that alcohol was interfering with her self-growth.

In a 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, she explained, "At first, I was probably keeping the alcohol industry alive. Once I realised that I had a lot of work to do on myself, I stopped drinking."

Easy on me hit maker, revealed that, stepping away from alcohol provided clarity and the opportunity to rebuild a healthier relationship with herself and her craft.

In another interview with New Music Daily, the singer said, "I don’t have a problem with drinking. I have a problem with the decisions I make once I go past that level of...I’ve just been wanting to wake up 100%, 100% of the time."