April is Alcohol Awareness Month
Alcohol Awareness Month was started in 1987 by the National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence in an effort to draw attention to the problems and effects caused by alcohol abuse and addiction, as well as to educate children and adults. This year’s program theme is “Help for Today, Hope for Tomorrow” and is a theme recovering celebrities have hung on to after overcoming a battle with alcoholism. Like you, their lives fell apart as the need for that next drink became more important than their families and careers. After suffering the consequences of addiction, these celebrities were able to break free.
- Martin Sheen. The actor best known for his roles in Wall Street and Apocalypse Now initially became embarked on an alcohol recovery program in a show of support for his son, Charlie Sheen. But it soon became clear to the elder Sheen that abstinence and sober living were important for himself, as well.
- Ben Affleck. Ben Affleck was a rising Hollywood star in the late 1990s known for his clean-cut, all-American appearance. So it was with a great deal of shock that fans learned he’d voluntarily entered an in-patient rehabilitation facility for alcohol abuse. Since his recovery, the actor has asserted that life is richer and fuller without alcohol.
- Kristin Davis. Best known for her popular role on Sex and the City, Kristin Davis recognizes that alcoholism is a disease. The actress became sober before becoming a popular TV star and maintains that accepting a drink from fans or being tempted to drink at parties is not worth the risks and consequences she knows she’d face if she started drinking again.
Help for Today, Hope for Tomorrow
Health issues related to alcohol abuse affect nearly 18 million people in the United States. Additionally, nearly 25 percent of children in the US are exposed to alcohol-related health disorders. Celebrities who’ve overcome alcoholism can provide those who’re fighting alcohol addiction with hope that they can become sober, too. If you’re tired of fighting addiction and are interested in intervention services , there’s help available. Reach out to a trusted family member or friend, or contact a mentor or counselor at a treatment center. At one point or another, each of the above celebrities reached out for help as they recognized they could no longer battle addiction alone. You don’t have to go it alone, either; someone who understands what you’re going through is ready to help.