Halfway houses have become popular with celebrities in recovery from drug abuse, alcoholism and other dependencies. The location of these facilities are often kept secret to protect the celebrities’ privacy and allow them to begin their recovery in a safe environment. Here is a look at 10 celebrities that have attended a halfway house for sobriety.
The world of celebrity has its perks. Actors, musicians and other famous people get their names in magazines, on television shows and even on magazine covers. Many people idolize these public figures and want to emulate what they do. However, many celebrities have had trouble in their lives as well. Some have dealt with drug or alcohol addiction while others simply just want to get away from the glamor of being a celebrity for a while. These celebrities have turned to halfway houses for sobriety in an effort to start fresh after experiencing problems with drugs or alcohol.
- Kesha: Kesha checked herself into an in-patient treatment center after being diagnosed with an eating disorder and being at risk of suicide. She checked herself in while on tour to seek treatment for her alcoholism as well as bulimia and anorexia.
- Christian Slater: Christian Slater is an American actor most recognized for his role in Heathers, True Romance and Pump Up the Volume. In 1993, he was charged with third-degree assault after he broke a restaurant manager’s nose while intoxicated. During his time in rehab, Slater developed a strong desire to stay sober so he can raise his daughter properly. He eventually overcame his addiction to drugs and alcohol, which significantly helped him in turning over a new leaf in life.
- Charlie Sheen: Actor and comedian, Charlie Sheen, spent time in a halfway house for substance abuse. In an interview on the Today Show, Sheen claimed he was sober but went to a 30-day program to “maintain” his sobriety. Sheen wrote about his experience in his book, “Confessions of a Two-Bit Whore”.
- Drew Barrymore: The 39-year old actress is also a recovering drug addict who attended Promises Treatment Center in Malibu, California for one month. As she was leaving the facility Barrymore said she was going to be attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and that she was looking forward to having her life back.
- Jack Nicholson: Jack Nicholson has starred in countless films thanks to his great acting abilities and charismatic personality. He is also known for his bad behavior and alcoholism. However, in the early ’80s, Jack Nicholson realized that he had a problem and checked into the Sierra Tucson Rehabilitation Center in Arizona. Sierra Tucson is known as one of the best rehab facilities in the world. It is one of the most expensive treatment centers on the planet, with many celebrities choosing Sierra Tucson instead of prison time or death due to addiction. Jack Nicholson is now clean and sober, but it took him years to get there.
- Brittany Murphy: The same year that Brittany Murphy’s 40-year-old husband died, she also died – at the age of 32. She was found unconscious in her bathroom and died shortly after arriving at the hospital due to cardiac arrest from pneumonia complicated by anemia and iron deficiency anemia. She had entered treatment for substance abuse two weeks prior to her death but left the program due to reported “complications.”
- Eminem: Eminem’s drug and alcohol abuse has been widely publicized by himself and media outlets. He physically abused his wife Kim Mathers, was arrested multiple times for drug possession, and even overdosed on methadone in 2007. After being rushed to the hospital and told he could die if he ever used again, Eminem checked himself into rehab at a mid-western halfway house for sobriety, according to Biography.com. He has been sober since 2008, but it hasn’t been easy: he has struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts while trying to keep himself clean.
- Paris Hilton: In 2010 Paris Hilton was sentenced to 45 days in jail after violating her probation by driving with a suspended license. She served 23 days of her sentence at the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood before being transferred to an unnamed “community re-entry center.”
- Amy Winehouse: The singer who died at age 27 was sent to The Priory in order to deal with her alcohol addiction. After leaving The Priory, she spent time at a separate recovery center in Antigua called The Cotton House before moving back to England. She passed away one month after leaving the facility due to alcohol intoxication.
- Russell Brand: Russell Brand is a British comedian, actor and activist. He first gained recognition as the host of Big Brother’s Big Mouth, a television series shown on E4. He is also known for his roles in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him to the Greek, Despicable Me, Hop and Arthur. A comedian who made some bad mistakes after becoming famous and went to jail because he was overindulging with drugs and alcohol. His life changed once he went to a halfway house for sobriety. Now he is an advocate against drug use and has spoken out against celebrity drug culture that has unfortunately become so popular nowadays.
These celebrities that have admitted to needing a halfway house for sobriety are probably glad to be done with it and will say that it was a great experience too. They all have their own stories about what happened in their life that put them into the situation they found themselves in and it led them to the decision of going to an alcohol and drug rehabilitation center. While it may be easy to romanticize their celebrity status and envied lifestyles, these revelations have the potential to raise awareness of the importance of the recovery community. As addiction has touched nearly every aspect of society, including seemingly invincible celebrities, it should further entrench the fact that addiction is a problem that needs to be addressed by every member of society.