Sober celebrities: 41 stars who have opened up about their sobriety

In 1970, at the age of 27, she became another member of the notorious ’27 Club,’ dying from a fatal heroin overdose. Bradley Cooper got sober at the age of 29 after spending years dealing with a drug and alcohol addiction behind closed doors. Ben Affleck publicly struggled with alcohol abuse for years and was infamously brought to rehab by his ex-wife Jennifer Garner in 2018 after she held an intervention for him. Many stars have bravely spoken out about their struggles with substance abuse and their journeys to sobriety. According to reports, the death was caused by a combination of cocaine, heroin, and other drugs that the actor took.

He died in 1969 after being rushed to the hospital when he started vomiting blood while drinking whiskey. Country musician Hank Williams, who brought us such classics as ‘Hey, Good Lookin,’ celebrities who died of alcoholism died at a tragically young age from complications after alcohol abuse. Female silent movie star Julia Burns and Barbara Payton are also just a few of the famous women who died of alcholism.

Jamie Lee Curtis celebrates 25 years of being ‘clean and sober’ after struggling with opioid abuse

The cause was an accidental overdose of oxycodone and hydrocodone, two types of prescription painkillers. Best known for his beloved character on the TV show “Glee,” Cory Monteith’s life came to a devastating halt due to a deadly mixture of heroin and alcohol. The co-use of these substances magnifies their individual dangers, creating a lethal cocktail that can severely depress the central nervous system. Noticing how badly he struggled with his sobriety, Holland decided to extend his alcohol cleanse for six months to show himself he didn’t actually have a drinking problem. Robert Downey Jr. struggled with drug abuse from a young age and even ended up in the slammer in 1999 after he failed to take court-ordered drug tests for a cocaine possession charge from 1996.

In 2021, he was found dead in his home at the age of 38 with no clear cause of death. Mickey Mantle was a baseball legend who is widely regarded as the greatest switch hitter in history. The toxicology report showed that when Dunn crashed his blood alcohol level was over twice the legal limit.

Celebrities who have died from addiction

These stories of these immensely gifted musicians and actors underscore how addiction is an indiscriminate foe that can claim even the most extraordinary lives. Each tale serves as a solemn reminder of the urgency to address the pervasive issues of substance abuse and mental health, particularly in high-pressure professions like the entertainment industry. Gustav Åhr, better known by his stage name Lil Peep, was a promising young rapper whose life was cut dramatically short in 2017 due to an accidental overdose of fentanyl and Xanax. Known for his raw and emotive music that openly discussed issues like mental health and substance abuse, Lil Peep’s death is a harsh testament to the topics he addressed in his lyrics. Jackie Wilson, one of the first great rhythm and blues vocalists, was born in 1934.

Numerous celebrities of the past half century have been plagued with substance abuse problems, with disastrous results. This article highlights some of the most famous cases and briefly discusses medical views of substance abuse from Osler’s time to the present. According to an autopsy report obtained by PEOPLE in December, the actor, known for his role as Chandler Bing on Friends, died of acute effects from ketamine.

List of deaths through alcohol

At age 31, he was found dead in a hotel room in Vancouver in 2013. The actor was known to have struggled with substance abuse and checked into rehab several times. The rate of drug use among teenagers has been cut nearly in half since its peak 30 years ago. Drug courts are now common, and the criminal justice system has become the most powerful force in the country supporting addiction treatment. Education is the key—not only teaching youth about the health dangers of specific drugs but also teaching about the disease of addiction. Finally, treatment programs should address general wellness and factors leading to addiction, including poverty, lack of education, impaired mental health, and abuse.

“Sex and the City” star Kristin Davis thanks her acting career for keeping her afloat amid her years-long addiction to alcohol. Drew Barrymore infamously frequented Studio 54 as a child star and consequently had easy access to drugs and alcohol. She decided to get serious about her recovery after she was photographed in public a handful of times in 2022 appearing to be distressed, disheveled and possibly under the influence of drugs. “I became — out of no desire of my own — one of the poster boys for actor alcoholism and recovery and the whole thing,” he told the Hollywood Reporter in March 2023.

Famous figures who died of alcoholism

For the last 23 years of his life, Riley lived on Lockerbie Street in Indianapolis. Carmichael retired to Palm Springs, California, and died on Dec. 27, 1981. Carmichael’s body was returned to Indiana and buried at Rose Hill Cemetery in Bloomington. The Norwegian-born American football coach built the University of Notre Dame into a powerhouse in college football and became the intercollegiate sport’s first true celebrity coach. With the boy barred from public school and shunned by former classmates and teachers, the family moved to Cicero.

• Mac Miller was a rapper who often wrote lyrics about his substance abuse problems.
• British singer Amy Winehouse was found dead in her apartment in London in 2011.
• The musical realm suffered an enormous loss with the sudden passing of Prince, the multi-talented musician and performer, in 2016.
• An innovator in every sense, Prince seemed almost otherworldly in his ability to cross genres and dazzle audiences.
• The 57-year-old musician joins a lengthy list of celebrities who have died as a result of substance addiction.