Colin Farrell quit drinking and sought alcoholism treatment in 2006 after years of being Hollywood’s bad boy. In a new interview with Details Magazine for his new movie, Farrell discussed his addiction to drugs and alcohol, and the way sobriety and recovery helped him regain control of his life. Farrell first admitted to substance abuse and alcoholism problems during a magazine interview in 2010 in advance of his movie Ondine.
“I’m just grateful that I’m actually alive,” the 36-year-old actor told Details Magazine. Sobriety, according to the actor, has given him his life back. It has given me “eight hours a day now that I didn’t have before, when I was drinking every day for 18 years,” said Farrell.
In addition to lying about his substance abuse and alcoholism to his family and loved ones, Farrell found himself in a web of lies caused by his addiction. He describes lying not for purpose, just out of habit – a lying habit that started to keep his drug and alcohol habit alive. “The amount of energy you have to put in and the amount of lies you have to tell to keep a drug habit alive, it’s fairly significant. Your whole life is a lie,” Farrell told the magazine for their November issue.
Miserable and reaching his rock bottom, Farrell gave up drugs and alcohol. Close to a meltdown after years of womanizing and dangerous behavior, Farrell entered alcoholism treatment in 2006 and hasn’t had a drink since. Crediting his two children and fatherhood as the motivation to get clean and stay clean, Farrell says sobriety has given him a whole new outlook on life. Farrell’s son James suffers from a rare genetic disorder called Angelman syndrome that slows physical and intellectual development and impairs motor skills. Farrell has been the celebrity spokesperson for the Special Olympics and an outspoken advocate for several children’s charities. Farrell’s new movie, Seven Psychopaths, is due in theaters shortly.
Alcoholism and addiction are not uncommon diseases in Hollywood, where celebrities often play out their addiction and rehab cycles in public. Many celebrities who were once closed about their addictions and rehab stays are opening up, sharing their struggles with the world, and giving hope to many fans.
The stress and anxiety of everyday life can make it difficult to recognize a substance abuse problem before it gets out of hand. You don’t have to be a celebrity to suffer from substance abuse or alcoholism. Choices made under the influence of drugs and alcohol can have a ripple effect on your life, but there is an opportunity to break the habit and regain control of your life. Alcoholism and drug abuse can be difficult to face, but you don’t have to do it alone. If you or a woman you love is suffering from substance abuse or mental health problems, please call us today. Destination Hope is a full-service addiction and health treatment facility in Florida for men and women who suffer from substance abuse and behavioral health issues.
