5 Celebrities That Conquered Addiction

A large number of celebrities have managed to beat their addiction to various substances. Here are a few of the biggest stars that are shining brighter than ever.

Martin Sheen: Sheen is a recovering alcoholic. In the 1970s, his alcoholism was so severe that he suffered a mild heart attack while filming Apocalypse Now. However, he has been in recovery since 1981. This followed a series of talks with film director Terrence Malick in Paris. He's truly is the embodiment of the sober lifestyle.

Jamie Lee Curtis: Curtis struggled with drug and alcohol addiction since the age of 35. However, Curtis has now been in recovery for more than a decade. Following a routine operation when Curtis was 35, she became addicted to painkillers. Curtis also self-medicated with alcohol in order to ease her loneliness. Curtis is quoted as saying her recovery is the ‘single greatest achievement’ in her life. She feels that without her recovery, her life would be a total shambles. Curtis said that she was lucky because she felt like she didn’t have anything to lose by entering recovery.

Robert Downey Jr.: Downey was born into the limelight, with his first film role at the age of five. He says he was brought up surrounded by drugs. When Downey became addicted to heroin, his life spiraled completely out of control. He was arrested numerous times and even spent six months in jail when he failed to attend a court-ordered drug test. Downey managed to quit drugs in 2001 by relying on a number of holistic therapies. He filled the void from his abstinence by taking up yoga and Wing Chun Kung Fu. He also credits the support he received from his spouse as the source of his success in recovery.

Nicole Richie: Richie, the adopted child of Lionel Richie, was the recipient of a privileged upbringing in Beverly Hills. She says that this glamorous lifestyle led her to experiment with drugs during her teens. She got to the point where nothing excited her anymore and the boredom caused her to engage in dangerous behavior. She struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction, including heroin, cocaine and prescription drugs. She’s now been clean for nearly a decade, working as a fashion designer. She actively works on her recovery each day.

Elton John: John began to experiment with cocaine back in 1974 and a year later suffered his first overdose. Despite his enormous popularity (more than 300 million records sold), he said that he took drugs to feel socially accepted. He identified himself as an unattractive loner and felt painfully insecure. For the next 16 years, John continued to abuse drugs and alcohol and attempted to commit suicide several times. John claims he is fortunate to still be alive. He says he experienced several cocaine overdoses, turning blue from epileptic seizures caused by his heavy cocaine use. He refers to this period as the ‘lost years’. In 1990, John decided enough was enough and committed himself to his recovery.