Famous Alcoholics

9 Minutes

Edited & medically reviewed by THE BALANCE Team

Fact checked

Alcoholism is a powerful, baffling, and cunning disease that doesn’t discriminate and can completely devastate the life of everyone who suffers from it. From the homeless man living under the bridge to the rich housewife who has it all, no demographic is safe from the grasp of alcohol addiction. Thus, it should not come as a surprise that many alcoholic celebrities fight this issue every day.

The conventional mental image of an alcoholic, whether famous or not, is someone who fails to keep their life together. The excessive use of alcohol interferes with their family life, friendships, health, and career. While it is true for most alcoholics, around 20% of them do not look like this. Known as high-functioning alcoholics, they usually have every outward sign of success: a stable job, a steady income, a loving family, and multiple achievements in their field.

However, life isn’t so rosy for them below the surface. They constantly struggle with addiction in a dangerous silence. Even if their families and friends are aware of their alcoholism, they remain in the dark about how big a problem it truly is. While experiencing a pattern of good luck that keeps their drinking habits concealed, these addicts may not even realise the problem they are struggling with. As this pattern continues, one of the two occurs: a loss of control or a traumatic event shocks these famous alcoholics causing them to seek treatment, or the excessive alcohol intake contributes to their death.

Many famous people have battled alcoholism and have lived to tell the tale. By doing so, they have successfully humanised this complex issue and reminded others that they are not alone. Mentioned below are some famous sober people who struggled with alcoholism as high-functioning alcoholics yet overcame this devastating disease.

Daniel Radcliffe

As one of the most famous alcoholics in the UK, Daniel Radcliffe has openly admitted to his struggles with alcoholism for quite some time. He explained how he used to drink alcohol on the sets of Harry Potter when some of his friends expressed concerns regarding his behaviour. This social support helped him seek professional help, adding him to the list of famous people who are sober.

Zac Efron

Zac Efron was reportedly admitted to an inpatient alcohol rehab twice in the same year, making him one of the youngest celebrities to suffer from substance dependence and abuse. During an interview, he admitted that a combination of the 12-step program of Alcoholics Anonymous and behavioural therapy ultimately saved his life.

Ben Affleck

This A-list celebrity has been highly vocal and expressive about his struggles with alcoholism. Previously listed among the celebrities that drink alcohol every day, Ben took help from several outpatient and inpatient treatment programmes before finally achieving long-term sobriety. He has constantly been expressing the significance of humanising addiction and hopes to help other men and women in the grasp of alcoholism through reflection on his personal life experience.

Kat Von D

As a famous tattoo artist turned entrepreneur, Kat Von D has made a significant impact on the alcoholism recovery community after she announced achieving sobriety in 2018. As one of the most famous recovering alcoholics, she has repeatedly mentioned celebrities’ difficulties as high-functioning alcoholics, yet believes that it is always possible with the right tools.

Michael Phelps

This 180-time gold medalist in the international Olympics had to undergo multiple DUI arrests to acknowledge and work on his alcoholism finally. In 2014, Phelps officially checked himself into inpatient rehab for alcohol and participated in 6-week-long intensive treatment along with rigorous depression management to achieve recovery. He has been sober for a long time and has been a strong advocate for alcohol addiction recovery.

While the list of famous alcoholics who managed to achieve recovery in time is long, there are quite a few who were consumed by this devastating habit. A few of these celebrities are briefly mentioned below.

Amy Winehouse

As a five-time Grammy Award winner, Amy is remembered by the world for her songs like “Rehab”, in which she openly admitted to refusing treatment for her alcohol abuse. Winehouse’s alcohol and drug addiction struggles were openly known to the public. Despite having a successful career, her reputation as a party girl overshadowed her immaculate singing talents, particularly during the last few years of her life. Just like many other famous female alcoholics, her health deteriorated rather quickly, eventually leading to her death due to alcohol poisoning in 2011.

Chris Cornell

As the frontman for Audioslave and Soundgarden, Chris suffered from multiple addictions, including alcoholism, which eventually led to his death in 2017. Chris believed that it was alcohol abuse that led him to try other drugs for fun. His parents were alcoholics, and he also suffered from co-existing depression. While Chris had managed to get his drinking problem under control through rehabilitation, he is thought to have relapsed just before his death.

Andre, The Giant

Andre The Giant is known across the world for his wrestling career. However, not many are aware of his alcoholism which forced him to drink mass quantities of alcohol every day. He also suffered from other co-existing problems, including high blood pressure and diabetes. Combined, these mental and physical health conditions damaged his heart muscles and finally led to his death due to heart failure.

Verne Troyer

Troyer suffered from achondroplasia dwarfism by birth, which halted the growth of his body at 2’8”. Best known for his role as “Mini-Me” in Austin Powers, Troyer was also an alcoholic who joined multiple treatment programmes for alcoholism without any success. He soon drank himself to death which was ruled as suicide by alcohol poisoning by the investigators.

If you consider yourself a high-functioning alcoholic who needs treatment for alcohol abuse, know that you are not alone. Many rehabs are working across the UK to help men and women of all ages and demographics to overcome alcoholism. These rehabs offer specialised programs catering to the unique needs of celebrities, such as an increased level of discretion and confidentiality. No matter who you are or how severe your alcohol abuse is, these rehabs are always available to help. Reach out to the rehab of your choice today for more information on their comprehensive alcohol addiction recovery programme.

FAQs

What is a functioning alcoholic UK?

According to experts, almost 20 per cent of alcoholics worldwide can be categorised as high-functioning alcoholics. These primarily include celebrities and other famous people who defy the stereotypes of alcoholism by having stable, well-paying jobs and excellent social life. Despite heavy dependence on alcohol, they take care of their families, have pristine appearances, avoid trouble with the law, and always pay their bills. Most high-functioning alcoholics are middle-aged adults who keep their drinking habits a secret, even from the closest family members.

How can you identify a high-functioning alcoholic?

Most high-functioning alcoholics hide their struggles and issues from their loved ones. Some of them might be in possible denial, failing to admit that they have a problem. These alcoholics usually build resistance to the effects of alcohol and may not appear intoxicated even after consuming several drinks.

Some common symptoms to identify a high-functioning alcoholic include the following:

Drinking to relax or feel confident
Drinking at odd hours, for example, in the morning, to hide it from others
Drinking alone
Storing alcohol in secrecy in places like cars, closets, and shed
Denying drinking and becoming angry when confronted
Causing friends and family to make excuses for their drinking
Experiencing memory lapses while drinking
Joking about having a drinking problem
Drinking when they do not intend to
Justifying their drinking as a celebration or a reward

Is high-functioning alcoholism dangerous?

No matter how well high-functioning alcoholic hides their addition by maintaining relationships and careers, they are still categorised as alcoholics. Hence, they are potentially living with the risks and effects of alcohol abuse. Many high-functioning alcoholics admit during recovery that they could only live an everyday life with alcohol abuse for so long until the problem started to affect their behaviour and health. For instance, such people are at a high risk of drunk driving or committing other crimes under the influence of alcohol. Even if they manage to avoid any professional or legal consequences due to their alcohol abuse, their body still continues to suffer. Long-term drinking has been associated with damage to the liver, heart, brain, and other vital body organs, leading to cancers, liver cirrhosis, and heart disease. With this in mind, it is right to say how alcoholism in all forms can be dangerous and potentially lethal.

How can I confront a high-functioning alcoholic?

Acknowledging that a friend or a family member is suffering from alcoholism might be difficult for many. Once you recognise they need help, the next step is approaching them about their addictive behaviour. An intervention specialist can help a high-functioning alcoholic to concede to their addiction.

If you plan to discuss the issue directly with your loved one, ensure that you do it while they are sober. During an intervention, be assertive and clear about expressing your concerns without adopting a judgmental attitude or making accusations. Emphasise to your loved ones how they may suffer even worse consequences due to alcoholism if they refuse to change. While it is common for many high-functioning alcoholics to make excuses, deny the problem, or even attack you, maintain your calm and be honest. Eventually, your loved one will realise they have a problem and might even agree to join a rehab.

HOW THE BALANCE CAN HELP WITH Alcohol

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