Hollywood is no stranger to sober celebs, with many using their experiences to help other alcoholics and addicts find the courage they need to start their sobriety journey. Meanwhile, other stars say they’re simply grateful and want to live their lives in the open.
From time to time, however, a celebrity will surprise the world and suddenly announce that they got sober.
Kelly Osbourne, who previously talked about being sober for six years, revealed in April 2021 that she had suffered a relapse and was working on next steps.
“Not proud of it. But I am back on track,” she wrote via Instagram at the time.
Two months later, the former Fashion Police star explained how the COVID-19 pandemic caused her relapse during an appearance on Red Table Talk.
“I was alone, sitting by a pool and waiting for somebody to come have a meeting with me. And I saw this woman and her husband had a glass of champagne. It looked really nice, and I was like, ‘I can do that, too,’” she shared in the June 2021 interview. “And the next day, I had two glasses. And the day after that, it was bottles.”
Osbourne also reflected on how a medical procedure started her addiction when she was younger, noting, “I had a really bad case of tonsillitis. They ended up having to give me some crazy surgery and then after that they gave me Vicodin and that was all I needed.”
Demi Lovato, who first entered rehab for drug and alcohol addiction in 2010, has used their experience to help others who may be struggling with similar problems.
“I think I turned to those coping mechanisms because I genuinely was in so much pain that I didn’t want to die, and I didn’t know what else to do. I did the best that I could at times, and now that I have other tools and other resources, I know how else to deal and how else to cope so I don’t have to resort to those behaviors again,” Lovato revealed in an episode of the “Yeah No, I’m Not OK” podcast in March 2021.
The singer previously sought treatment and entered a sober house in 2013, but relapsed after six years of sobriety and was rushed to the hospital following a near-fatal drug overdose in 2018.
Following the harrowing journey, Lovato shared what led to the relapse in their Dancing With the Devil docuseries in March 2021, later clarifying that they decided not to completely remove marijuana and alcohol from their life.
“I think I want to try this balance thing in the substance side of my life too,” the Disney Channel alum told Glamour magazine at the time. “A one-size-fits-all solution does not work for everybody. Any path that is right for someone else does not mean that it is an effective, meaningful, safe path for you. … What I’m encouraging people to do is just make choices for themselves. Autonomy, for me, is what changed my life.”
Scroll down for all the stars who bravely got sober in private, then shared the inspiring news with fans by coming clean on getting clean:
If you or anyone you know is facing substance abuse issues, call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for free and confidential information 24/7.