Motherhood Embraced
Former Hollywood wild child Drew Barrymore is all grown up and now embracing life as a mother to her daughter Olive, born last October. Together with husband Will Kopelman, Drew says she looks forward to raising her daughter in a house filled with tradition and structure” a far cry from her wild hippie days as Hollywood’s resident bad girl.
A Past Life of Drugs
Drew has openly discussed her past substance abuse. She admitted to smoking by the age of nine, drinking by age 11, and smoking marijuana by age 12. By 13, Drew was addicted to cocaine and already in rehab. She later returned to rehab after attempting suicide, and struggled to stay sober due to a lack of structure in her own home life.
Continued struggles and rehab stints are not uncommon for people with a drug problem. Strong aftercare programs help mitigate this problem with continued support and education.
Drew Barrymore’s Words
While Drew says she won’t be hiding her “wild child” past from daughter Olive, taking a similar path is simply “not an option.” In a recent interview with Oprah, Drew said she is not ashamed of her journey from troubled child star to a happily married mom and Hollywood powerhouse” but does not want Olive to follow the same path.
“I will also try and instill in her (Olive) that I did not have guidance and that is why I lived my life that way,” Drew told Oprah. “(However), there is no option for her to take that path, because she has guidance.”
Parents Can Help Teens Be Drug-Free
For Drew, a house without rules, structure or even parents (she was legally emancipated from her mother as a teen), meant a life of partying, clubbing and substance abuse. While parents cannot always stop a child from experimenting with drugs, taking an active role in a teen’s life helps to reduce the risk for drug abuse.
Proper parenting and guidance can make a significant difference when it comes to deterring drug use among teens. According to the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Prevention, teens whose parents talk to them about drug abuse are 42% less likely to use drugs when compared with teens whose parents don’t talk to them.
Parental intervention can also help young adults acknowledge a substance abuse problem and get help before it is too late.
Blu By the Sea Can Help
If your child or loved one has substance abuse problem, successful rehab is possible. Drew turned her life around from a troubled teenager to become a successful Hollywood powerhouse and happily married mother. With the right rehab program, sobriety is possible. Contact us today to start the journey.