Recovery from addiction is not an unknown status for many rock stars. The world of rock and roll has certainly seen its fair share of addiction and substance abuse. In fact, drugs, alcohol and other risky behaviors are not only common among musicians; sometimes the entertainment industry makes it seem that they are celebrated!
However, there are many rock stars that have kicked their habits and are now in recovery from addiction. The following rock stars may have been drawn into the world of drugs and alcohol, but now use their talent and support from friends, family and fans as methods of relapse prevention.
Rock Stars in Recovery
1. Elton John
Sir Elton has been pretty vocal about his past substance abuse, citing cocaine and alcohol as his drugs of choice during the 1970s and 80s. Elton claims to have consumed “massive quantities” of drugs and alcohol, and has even said he’s surprised to still be alive. Sir Elton entered recovery and has been sober since 1990, and uses the support of his husband, family and friends as relapse prevention.
2. Steven Tyler:
Aerosmith’s front man has battled drugs and alcohol throughout most of his adult life. The singer even once claimed to have spent upwards of twenty million dollars on drugs over the course of addiction! In 1986, Tyler’s band mates staged an intervention, which was successful in getting the singer into rehab and ultimately recovery. Since then, Tyler has enjoyed super-stardom without the crutch of illicit substances. His career is his greatest tool for relapse prevention!
3. Lou Reed
Solo artist and former Velvet Underground front man Lou Reed is known for his heavy heroin and cocaine usage. In fact, many of songs are centered on drugs and the addict lifestyle. However, Reed became sober and has spent over 30 years in recovery. Reed cites songwriting, performing and the love and support of his wife and fans as his methods of relapse prevention.
4. Keith Richards
Keith Richards, lead guitarist for The Rolling Stones, was once so influenced by drugs and alcohol that he’s since become the poster child for addiction and how it relates to the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle. After incurring various drug charges and suffering several near-overdoses, Richards decided to quit the hard stuff. He furthered his sobriety by giving up alcohol in 2010. Maybe now he’ll be a poster child for relapse prevention and recovery.
5. Slash
The Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver guitarist is no stranger to addiction. In recent years, Slash has opened up about his addiction to heroin and how it affected both his personal and private life and how he lives in recovery. The extremely talented musician has described how, at first, heroin was a great comfort to him, but quickly came to consume his every thought and action. Currently, Slash is clean and sober, and cites his wife and sons as his greatest tools of relapse prevention.
Although these musicians nearly destroyed their lives with drugs and alcohol, they managed to break the cycle of addiction and continue to flourish in their careers. The message here is simple: if these guys can kick their habits and find success in recovery, so can you!
If you or someone you love is suffering from substance abuse or addiction, please call us today. Substance abuse treatment and behavioral therapy can help an individual overcome substance abuse and learn to manage stress and competition in a healthy way. Destination Hope is a full service drug, alcohol and dual diagnosis treatment facility in Florida for men suffering from substance abuse issues.
