Fame carries along a thrill that most people would yarn for, a stroke of the ego that gives you that ‘on top of the world’ feeling. Yes, it does have its perks, such as adoration, attention, wealth, special treatment, doors to new opportunities, and confidence but all these come at a price (substance abuse).
Most celebrities today would trade their spotlight for just a day as an average middle-class person, the mundane life. This is because once the spotlight is on, it never leaves; fame comes at the expense of your privacy due to public scrutiny.
The constant pressure of perfection develops gradually and before you know it, you lose the simple pleasures of life like going for an uninterrupted stroll, shopping at the mall, quiet family dinners at a fancy restaurant or something as mundane as reading your favorite book at a park becomes a nightmare – well unless you own the park.
More often than not, you are either ditching the paparazzi, denouncing a rumor on the tabloids, or even filing for a restraining order against a stalker. You also get to notice the fake friends that always tag along with you. Seen the pattern yet?
This kind of lifestyle tends to take a toll on an individual and provoke them to seek a coping mechanism. A window that has led many high-profile individuals, especially in the art and entertainment industries, into substance abuse and addiction.
This is evidenced by a Study published in 2016 on Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy which confirmed there have been about 300 substance abuse-related celebrity deaths recorded between 1970 and 2015. Of this number, 38.6% were musicians, 23.2% were actors, and the remaining shared between artists from other fields and writers.
Moreover, numerous artists have come out and confessed their battle with addiction and alcoholism over the years. From Robert Downey Jr. alias Iron Man to Demi Lovato, Bradley Cooper, Drew Barrymore, Ben Affleck, Keith Urban, and Amber Valletta, the list is endless.
On that note, this article will look into Zac Efron drug addiction.
Zac Efron’s confession about alcohol and cocaine addiction
It was only a few years ago that Zachery David Alexander Efron, a mainstream television star publicly opened up about his battle with alcoholism and cocaine addiction.
The now 35-year-old American actor had his television debut in the early 2000s in a show called Firefly which earned him a leading role in the High School Musicals as Troy Bolton; a position which rose him to fame and opportunities.
Efron has featured in Hairspray which premiered in 2007, 17 Again (2009), New Year’s Eve (2011), The Lucky One (2012), and swiftly transitioned into leading adult roles such as in the Neighbors (2014), Dirty Grandpa (2016) and much more – including a Netflix documentary titled Down To Earth With Zac Efron which won him the Daytime Emmy Award.
When did addiction begin?
With such an accomplished acting career, Efron disclosed the pressure it put on his life – balancing between his 16-hour-a-day work schedule, media intrusion, and his personal life. It was all too much.
“I had done films back-to-back-to-back. I was burned out. Something was lacking; some sort of hole that I couldn’t really fill up. I was just so deep into my work; it was really the only thing I had.” ~ Efron told a Hollywood reporter in an interview.
He was constantly stressed out and sought comfort in alcohol and drugs. In addition, Efron was in fear of being in the public eye which made him give up some of his hobbies too.
This way, he was left isolated and could hardly notice his growing cocaine addiction and alcoholism which led him to implicitly take some time out for treatment in 2013, after which he disclosed was in rehab.
He further expounded, “I mean, you’re in your 20s, single, going through life in Hollywood, “ added Efron, “everything is thrown at you. I wouldn’t take anything back. I needed to learn everything I did.”
He further narrated how he would Google his name to see what others’ perceptions of him were.
After his confession, Efron felt a weight lift off his chest because no matter how hard he tried to hide his addiction, the truth always catches up and he decided to face it head-on.
How did Efron recover?
Addiction recovery is a progressive journey that continues way after rehab. Zac Efron developed a structure of life through his recovery journey.
As he puts it, “What I found is structure that led me to a balance of opposites. You get out of life what you put in.”
He joined the Alcoholics Anonymous group which helped him through his new life of purpose and even embarked on surfing and skateboarding – his hobbies.
Course of action
Efron was not the first, and neither will he be the last of his kind to fall into the trap of drug abuse and addiction. However, all is not lost.
From the many elite figures who’ve spoken up, their confessions can be used to sensitize the upcoming generation on matters of fame and drug addiction.
If at all anything can be done to help new famous personalities get some skin in the game, it would be to raise awareness and adapt coping mechanisms to help deal with stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, and emotions.
Therapy can also go a long way to ease the transformation process. Self-monitoring would keep one alert to their social habits and note a potential problem slowly unfolding.
Further expound on the stages of alcoholism to know when you, or a loved one, needs professional help.
Whether a diagnosed addict or not, enroll in an AA meeting to meet like-minded individuals and personalities who have been down the road of addiction and recovery. It always helps to know you are not alone and others have succeeded in fighting this disease.
Lastly, always practice self-care. At the end of a busy day, take some time off to eat a nutritious meal, relax, meditate and take care of yourself.
