Drew Barrymore opens up about her lifelong battle with addiction
She was 11 years old when she first drank alcohol. Today, Drew Barrymore openly talks about the addictions she has overcome.
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, which deals with addiction issues, had a profound impact on her. This film prompted her to reflect on her own life and struggle with addiction. It 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. "And I felt so much shame about that… and I haven't had a drink in five years," she added. "I was shocked to realize that part of my journey that I was looking to find the trauma inside of me, and what is it about," 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. She recalled after a few months, she was drinking regularly. 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.
In the mid-90s, Barrymore seemed to have straightened out. Or at least she thought so. She said recently that she dealt with depression, having alcohol by her side, almost every day. She also admitted that she genuinely controls her life only now after many therapies. She admitted that she realized that alcohol, even in small amounts, does not serve her life, health, or family. "We make mistakes, we hurt ourselves, we get hurt by others and then often times we are left to deal with the consequences on our own," she commented.
