When people think of Hollywood, they think of the stars that walk down Hollywood Boulevard. They think of the red carpet and the Oscars. What many people fail to realize is how rough working in Hollywood can be. There are long and stressful hours and there is the pressure to always be at a peak. There are paparazzis everywhere trying to find the next scandal. It’s a high-pressured situation and many people turn to drugs and alcohol with some of the obscene money they make.
Here are some quotes that celebrities have shared about their struggles through drugs and alcohol. Some barely made it out the other end, but they all have a story to tell. Here are some quotes from some of the stars who have nearly lost it all and some who have.
Quotes on sobriety…
Robert Downey Jr., actor”Getting sober was one of the
”Getting sober was one of the the three pivotal events in my life, along with becoming an actor and having a child. Of the three, finding my sobriety was the hardest.”
Colin Farrell, actor
“Seven years sober. I’m really grateful. It’s really lovely to be present in my life”
Rob Lowe, film and TV actor
“Sobriety was the greatest gift I ever gave myself. I don’t put it on a platform. I don’t campaign about it. It’s just something that works for me. It enabled me to really connect with another human being-my wife, Sheryl-which I was never able to do before.”
Russell Brand, TV personality and actor
“It is 10 years since I used drugs or alcohol and my life has improved immeasurably. I have a job, a house, a cat, good friendships and, generally, a bright outlook… The price of this is constant vigilance because the disease of addiction is not rational.”
On alcohol and drug addiction…
Eric Clapton, guitarist and songwriter
“I thought that if I stopped drinking and I stopped using drugs…I would not be able to play anymore. In other words, those were things that were necessary for inspiration,” he says. “But it was a shortcut. My experience now tells me in a long time of being in recovery, that I can be a good musician with or without that philosophy.”
Ringo Star, former drummer of The Beatles
“That’s all drugs and alcohol do; they cut off your emotions in the end.”
Nicole Richie, TV actress, fashion designer
“When I pictured heroin I pictures some crazy crack-head with no shoes under a bridge,” she says, “You never think that is going to be you. And it never was me. I was never under a bridge, and I always had shoes. But, of course, that’s not necessarily what a drug problem Is. I just started off with marijuana, graduated to coke, then to prescription pills and then someone was just like ‘Do you want to try this?’ and I was like ‘Sure, whatever…’ When people were like Don’t do it!’ I was just like, ‘Who cares? F*** you…’ You have that visual of it being really dirty, and here it’s so glamorized and it doesn’t seem that bad because you’re at a nice house party. But it is. Doing heroin on Sunset [Boulevard] or on Pico [Boulevard]: it’s the same thing.”
While they might not always be the best models, Hollywood stars have a platform very few have. Some use it for good, such as these people. They used their platform to speak about the plagues in their life. Learn from them. If addiction is in your life, whether it’s a friend or family member, find help.
