Celebrities self-identifying as alcoholics
 

It takes a lot of courage for someone to publicly claim "I'm an alcoholic."
yet these celebrities do it, and they don't sound too embarrassed about it, and aren't trying to hide it. That's really cool.
This is just a disease that afflicts some, but not all.

These people have publicly shared their struggles.

Category:People self-identifying as alcoholics - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That is a good list. It is far from complete though especially if you compare it to this one we at SR made http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...us-people.html

I edited Wikipedia to add the first entry names — only Mel Gibson was on there. It is sort of fun adding to wikipedia :) thanks for the link. I think it is good to let the world know that alcoholism is a very common disease!

Bill W. is on the Wiki list.

Anyone else find that a little odd? He's a "famous" alcoholic. Not someone who is famous and then identified as an alcoholic.

Just an observation.

well it just says "People who self identify as being alcoholics", that wiki list mentions nothing of being famous or celebs or anything.

If it did, yes, I would find that odd as I would read it as people famous for being something OTHER than an alcoholic.

Basketball players and booze:

Chris Mullin was approached by his then coach, Don Nelson, about his drinking. He cleaned himself up and made the all star team several years in a row, and the 1992 Dream Team with Bird, Magic, Jordan, etc.

This was after he damn near drank his way out of the league. Talk about a powerful disease! Ironically his coach is infamous for after hours bar crawling in NBA circles.

Another basketball player, I don't know if he was alcoholic but he gave up alcohol for his career, was Boston Celtic center Robert Parrish.

John Drew, an NBA player for several years, was an alkie and drug addict, despite a multimillion dollar career. Charles Barkley writes about running into him living on the street (in Atlanta, I believe) and gave him all the money in his pocket, about $600. Charles says he has no idea where John Drew is today. They played in college together.

Eddie Griffin has already drank his way out of the NBA, and he is only 25. He played at Seton Hall in college and the MN in the NBA.

Chris Washburn from NC State was a 7' althetic specimen widely thought to have the potential be the next great player when we was drafted in 1986. He had already shown his alcoholic tendencies and as a result was not drafted until 4th, even though he was clearly the top talent in the draft that year. He drank and drugged his way out of the league in 3 years. Scottie Pippen said he was the most talented player he had ever played against. In case you are not much of a basketball fan, Scottie Pippen played with and against Michael Jordan, who I am sure you have heard of.

Obviously I am a basketball fan, and it is sad that some of these incredibly talented people did not make anything out of their talent.

It is equally sad for all of the nameless drunks and addicts out there that didn't live up to their potential in their chosen careers, or as fathers/mothers, etc.

I personally have a problem with a lot of celebrities who publicly claim to be alcoholics. Too many of them give us alcoholics a bad name by bouncing in and out of rehab every six moinths. There are certain exceptions to this - Anthony Hopkins and John Larroquette come to mind. But they don't wear their alcoholism on their sleeves, either. They quietly go about their lives successful in their careers and their recovery. And both have spoken often at AA meetings, so if you can get a copy of a CD of them speaking, grab it. They're both great.

I think the more people out and proud the better. It makes it real and acceptable. And as for people bouncing in and out of sobriety— that seems to me to be pretty much what happens to everyone in different guises. It takes a few times, right? It is a hard disease to lick. There are a lot of celebrities that have solid recovery. Unfortunately, they obviously aren't as fun for the tabloids, "Anthony Hopkins still solid and sober," vs "Lohan partying a day after getting out of rehab." I think another celeb with good recovery is Jamie Lee Curtis; I like how she had herself photographed for a magazine without airbrushing and all the futzing and makeup. She is very honest with herself and the public of late it seems and also on some board at Columbia Hospital to help addicts. I think that is solid.

I think a "take it or leave it" approach is cool to have with this stuff. If a celebrity in recovery speaking out is inspiring to you, then that's great. If it makes you want to vomit, then that's ok too. I tend to be more on the vomit side of the spectrum but certain celebrities are definitely more graceful about spreading the message than others.

Not sure if he was mentioned.. but Rob Lowe.
Pretty soon after the video incident I think...

Well on one hand it shows how you can go on to accomplish great things and that's a good thing. On the other hand I have no tears for people who can afford the best rehab in the world and insist on going out and ******* up over and over and over.

I think publicly declaring your an alcoholic can be setting yourself up. Especially if you ever relapse. A funny story is I saw a celebrity (wont say who) at a meeting once. Of course, I was so self absorbed in my own mind that I didn't think it was a big deal like others at the meeting did.

Please let's not gossip about who is or who is not an alcoholic.
SR is for recovery issues presented by our members

Thank you for honoring our mission ..I'm ending this thread...