The lifestyles of the rich and famous can become overwhelming for many celebrities. Temptations are present at every turn and the pressure to fit in makes it difficult to say no. Over the years, many celebrities have struggled with drug and alcohol addiction. While some continue to struggle, there are many that have kicked the habit and turned their lives around for the better.
Here, we’ll focus on celebrities who have quit drinking after they realized they were over-indulging and the urge to consume was taking a toll on their lives:
1. Russell Brand
In December of 2010, the comedian posted a message on Facebook that read “10 years clean today. Thanks for all your messages of love. Anyone can get clean, one day at a time.”
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2. Tim McGraw
The country crooner credits his wife, Faith Hill for his decision to get clean. He said in an interview ” “[My wife] Faith has kept me alive. I’d be dead. I would have partied too hard. I might have caught myself somewhere along the way and put the brakes on. I don’t know if I would have gone [to rehab], don’t think I could have been talked into that during those times.” He said it was after a series of slurred texts to his wife that he finally realized “hell, I gotta quit drinking.”
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3. Edie Falco
The actress, 50, has been sober now for 21 years. She related the process of sobriety to that of learning to ride a bike. “It’s like learning to ride a bike, you know? You have to get your bearings and you have to stay stable. And balanced.”
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4. Matthew Perry
Matthew, who played Chandler Bing on the hit series, Friends, openly struggled with drug and alcohol addiction in the late 90’s. Now, over a decade of sobriety has given him the confidence to help others in the same situation. He now says “The thing that I’m most proud of in my life is that if a stranger came up to me and said, ‘I can’t stop drinking. I can’t stop drinking. Can you help me?’ I can say, ‘Yes, I can help you.'”
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5. Robert Downey Jr.
Robert Downey Jr. has become notorious for his efforts on getting clean. He’s been sober since 1996, noting that after hitting rock bottom, “The only way out of that hopeless state is intervention.”
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6. Melanie Griffith
Melanie had been to rehab unsuccessfully twice in the past. Her third time, however, has proven to be the charm, so far. She said “”Now I feel free,” she says. “I don’t drink. I don’t take pills. Nothing. And it’s fantastic. It’s like getting out of prison.” Melanie has been sober since 2009.
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7. Colin Farrell
The charming actor credits his son for his decision to stay away from the booze. “There were times when I was with my son and I was wondering how long I would have to spend before I could go off and get p-ssed. Now – two hours in the pub, then I get bored. I was at that party for long enough,” he said. “It’s put more focus on my career. I’m a lot more appreciative over what I have.”
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8. Kristin Davis
The Sex and the City star, 48, says she’s been sober since she was 22. Speaking of sobriety, she says “Sure, sometimes I miss it. Every once in a while, I’ll be with friends and they’ll be drinking red wine and I’ll think, in a really innocent way, Oh wow, that’s such a wonderful glass of red wine. Wouldn’t it be fun to drink it? Maybe it would be fine, but it’s really not worth the risk.”
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9. Rob Lowe
Robe Lowe has been sober for 25 years. In 1988 the actor was submerged in a very public sex scandal which involved two girls, one of them just 16 years old at the time (Rob was 26). When asked if he enjoys a glass of wine every now and then, Lowe replied with “Never ever. For me, what works is early on I bought into the very standard thing about sobriety. You either are an addict/alcoholic or you are not. Some people say ‘You were 26 years old, maybe it’s different now.’ They may be right. But for me, it’s not worth finding out. At that moment, it [sobriety] made all the difference in my life. I don’t know that my life would be where it is today without it. And I love my life today. So I look back thinking it’s one of the greatest things I’ve ever done.”
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10. Jane Lynch
The Glee star, 53, has been sober since 1991. She said she realized she had a problem after being drunk on a daily basis and feeling permanently hungover. “Had I known I’d be telling my story over and over again, I would have made it a lot better,” she says.
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11. Jada Pinkett Smith
After realizing she was drinking way too much, the mom-of-two decided to quit cold turkey. She said, “I found myself drinking two bottles of wine on the couch and I said, ‘Jada, I think we’ve got a problem here.’ I had problems with alcohol and I really had to get in contact with the pain, whatever that is, and then I had to get some other tools in how to deal with the pain. From that day on I went cold turkey; I haven’t had a drink in eight years.”
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12. Bradley Cooper
The Silver Linings Playbook stars quit drinking at the age of 29 after he had a serious wake up call. While drunk at a party, Cooper started purposely bashing his head into a concrete floor at a party. “I don’t drink or do drugs anymore,” he told People. “Being sober helps a great deal … I remember looking at my life, my apartment, my dogs [when I was still using], and I thought, ‘What’s happening?'”
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13. Keith Urban
The country singer has been to rehab 3 times in the past but seems to have finally quit drinking and taking drugs for good. What made the last time different? His wife (Nicole Kidman). Urban told Oprah of the moment his wife confronted him on his addiction: “It was really a profound moment in so many ways. The way in which Nic handled that moment was just perfect. Everything was just designed, I believe, for that moment to fuse us together.” Later he said “She really should’ve just walked. I’m just glad she didn’t.”