Alcoholism and drug addiction is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. The mental aspect of addiction leads to delusional thinking that is characterized by denial and delusional thinking. Denial can be so powerful in addiction that the addict cannot comprehend the gravity of their situation. But what happens when those delusions subside temporarily. A “moment of clarity” is a common thread in many stories of recovery. Addicts report an ability to see the damage they are doing to their lives and it often leads to lasting change.
But what does a “moment of clarity” really look like? It’s encouraging to find examples of sobriety among some celebrities that we admire. Often, we think of their lives as perfect and without any personal pain or struggles. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Many of the rich and famous struggle with addiction despite their successes. Here are three examples of celebrity “moments of clarity” that can give us all encouragement.
John Mayer
John Mayer recently opened up about his one-year anniversary of sobriety. The 41-year-old singer-songwriter revealed that at a star-studded evening spent at Drake’s 30thbirthday party was the “most amazing last night-of-my-life-drinking story.” In October of 2016, while attending the party, Mayer reports that he “made quite a fool of himself,” and “went too deep.” After a hangover that lasted six days, Mayer recalls that he kept having a reoccurring conversation with himself about his drinking. Eventually he gave himself a pep talk:
“I looked out the window and I went, ‘OK, John, what percentage of your potential would you like to have? Because if you’d said like 60, and you’d like to spend the other 40 having fun, that’s fine. But what percentage of what is available to you would you like to make happen? There’s no wrong answer. What is it? “100,” Mayer said.
Bradley Cooper
Bradley Cooper had a similar moment of clarity that lead to his sobriety. The actor/director/producer has had many successful projects and a growing career. But when he was 29-years-old, Cooper talks about how he deliberately banged his head against a concrete floor while attending a Hollywood party, causing him to spend a night in the hospital. In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Cooper said, “I don’t drink or do drugs anymore, Being sober helps a great deal – I remember looking at my life, my apartment, my dogs (when I was still using), and I thought, ‘What’s happening?’ I was so concerned what you thought of me, how I was coming across, how I would survive the day. I always felt like an outsider. I just lived in my head. I realized I wasn’t going to live up to my potential, and that scared the hell out of me. I thought, ‘Wow, I’m actually going to ruin my life. I’m really going to ruin it.” Cooper, now 37, has been sober since that night in the hospital.
Anthony Hopkins
The legendary actor Anthony Hopkins said in a recent interview that seven words lead him to sobriety. The seven words: “Why don’t you trust in God?” These were spoken to him at a recovery meeting after his drinking became too much for him to handle. Hopkins reports that as a young theater actor his drinking got so bad that he would sneak out to the nearby pub for several drinks in between acts. He recalls that he was starting to get a bad reputation. His co-stars called him “difficult to work with “and he “simply couldn’t take the hangovers anymore.” Hopkins acknowledged the spiritual aspect of his addiction and after decades of drinking, was able to stop by trusting in a higher power. He has been encouraging others to likewise for the last 40 years.
Are you or a loved one struggling with alcoholism or drug addiction? Are you ignoring a moment of clarity that is prompting you to get sober? Rock Recovery Center in West Palm Beach, Florida can help you with advice for next steps. Call our 24-hour helpline or chat live with us now.
