Sober Celebrities in the Spotlight

You may think celebrities are all about the champagne lifestyle, but many in Hollywood are taking a more sober route and benefitting big time. Last month Demi Lovato (who identifies as nonbinary) released new music about their continued struggle with drug and alcohol addiction. Their new song SKIN OF MY TEETH dives into the pain and struggle that often accompanies the ups and downs of addiction. Lovato spoke about how she attempted to go “California Sober” but came to the realization that misusing any substance can turn into a problem.

More and more celebs are being open and honest about their struggles with drugs and alcohol. Whether they talk about it in an interview, podcast, or through music lyrics, stars are choosing to use their spotlight to advocate for addiction awareness and recovery.

Celebrities With 20 Years Of Sobriety

Celebrating 20 years of sobriety is a major milestone in long-term recovery. Some notable celebrities with 20 or more years of sobriety include: ^1,2,3

• Elton John celebrated 32 years sober as of July 2022.
• Rob Lowe celebrated 32 years sober as of May 2022.
• Jamie Lee Curtis is 23 years sober from alcohol.
• Jada Pinkett Smith has been drug and alcohol-free for the past 22 years.
• Tobey Maguire has been sober from alcohol since 2003.
• Russel Brand is 20 years sober from heroin and alcohol.

Although they have not yet reached 20 years of sobriety, here are some honorable mentions of celebrities who have put significant work into their sobriety journey: ^1,2,4

• Eminem – The 8 Mile rapper overcame a sleeping pill and Vicodin addiction and is currently 14 years sober.
• Sia has been sober from drugs and alcohol for 11 years (12 years this September).
• Dax Shepard is 18 years sober from alcohol, cocaine, opiates, marijuana, pain pills, and other drugs (had a brief relapse in 2020).
• Tim McGraw is currently 14 years sober from alcohol.
• Travis Barker quit painkillers in 2008 and is 14 years sober.

Starting the Sober Journey

Each day sober is something to celebrate, and some celebrities like Nicki Minaj are just starting their sober journey and “loving life.”³ However, as Demi Lovato recently reminded us with her latest song, drug and alcohol addiction is a chronic disease that often includes relapse (returning to using drugs and/or alcohol after quitting).⁵

Celebrities like Ben Affleck and Charlie Sheen have opened up about how their recovery journey has included relapse and starting sobriety over again. Ben Affleck first went to rehab in 2001 for alcohol addiction and again in 2017 and 2018. Charlie Sheen relapsed after 11 years of sobriety and in 2018 celebrated 1 year of sobriety.¹

Relapse should not be seen as a failure but rather an indication that treatment needs to be modified or resumed. Lovato captures the frustration of relapse and hopelessness by singing: “I just wanna be free, but I can’t cause it’s a – disease.”

Hayden Panettiere, known for her roles in Nashville and Heroes, recently opened up about her struggles with alcohol addiction and postpartum depression. When asked what it took to get her back to a good place, Hayden responded that “it took going to treatment; making a lot of great friends in treatment who can speak on your same level where you don’t feel like you’re crazy.” ⁶

Orange County Rehab for Alcohol & Drug Addiction

Laguna Treatment Center, an Orange County rehab for drug and alcohol addiction has many programs to create supportive sober community bonds among patients with similar backgrounds and experiences. Often in a group setting, Laguna utilizes evidence-based therapies including:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
• Motivational Interviewing.
• Family Therapy.

Holistic healing (such as mindfulness, meditation, and yoga) is often incorporated into Laguna’s individualized addiction treatment to provide patients with well-rounded care. Laguna also hosts regular Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings, 12-Step recovery programs used by celebrities including Naomi Campbell, Tobey Maguire, Zac Efron.¹

To learn more about the admissions process or to speak with one of our knowledgeable and compassionate admissions navigators available 24/7 at .