Drew Barrymore reveals painful journey to sobriety and self-acceptance
She was 11 years old when she first drank alcohol. As a teenage star, she also used cocaine. Today, Drew Barrymore openly talks about the addictions she has overcome.
7:24 AM EDT, September 12, 2024
Drew Barrymore, a well-known actress and star of the movie "Charlie's Angels," shared her experiences related to her journey to sobriety during an interview with Zoë Kravitz on her show "The Drew Barrymore Show." Barrymore, who has not touched alcohol for over five years, admitted that the film "Blink Twice," directed by Kravitz and dealing with addiction issues, had a profound impact on her. This film prompted her to reflect on her own life and struggle with addiction and also helped in the process of self-acceptance and coming to terms with her past.
Drew Barrymore on alcoholism
The actress expressed amazement at discovering how much trauma she still carries, being someone who has struggled with the dark sides of addiction in the past. Barrymore emphasized that "Blink Twice" is not only a film about adversity but also about the mistakes we make against ourselves.
In the interview, Zoë Kravitz confirmed that she was aware of the potential impact of the film on people struggling with addictions. She expressed the belief that the psychoactive substances in the film serve to deepen the understanding of the characters' weaknesses. Kravitz noted that an important message is to show that the healing process is much more complicated than it might seem.
"Watching this film was an extraordinary journey for me to forgive myself for that because I've put myself in situations I shouldn't have put myself in.," said Barrymore, holding back tears. "I put myself in situations where I shouldn't have been. 'And I felt so much shame about that… and I haven't had a drink in five years," she confessed.
Drew Barrymore started her career in show business as a 7-year-old girl. She was 11 years old when she first drank alcohol. "After a few months, I was drinking regularly," she recalled. After alcohol came cocaine. At the age of 13, she was first hospitalized in a psychiatric hospital, where she spent a year and a half. After leaving the facility, she attempted suicide.
By the mid-1990s, Barrymore appeared to have turned her life around, or at least believed she had. She reflected on how she managed her depression but continued to struggle with alcohol, using it nearly every day. It was only after numerous therapies that she now feels fully in control of her life. She recognized that even small amounts of alcohol were detrimental to her health, life, and family. After 35 years of living with it, she can finally say she’s sober, a moment she had long awaited.
