AAddiction & Recovery

Bradley Cooper Acknowledges Struggle with Addiction

Bradley Cooper was recently interviewed by Barbara Walters in a follow up regarding his addiction to alcohol and painkillers in his early years as an actor. Today, Cooper is 11 years sober from drugs and alcohol and proud to say that he owes his life and career to his sobriety.

“I would never be sitting here with you, no way, no chance,” he mentions about his time before he stopped drinking. “I wouldn’t have been able to have access to myself or other people, or even been able to take in other people, if I hadn’t changed my life. No way. I never would have been able to have the relationships that I do. I never would have been able to take care of my father the way I did when he was sick. So many things.”

During the darkest times of his alcohol and drug addiction, Bradley Cooper was playing the supporting role of Will Tippin in ABC’s hit television show, Alias starring Jennifer Garner. As the seasons went on, he realized that he was losing more and more air time and couldn’t take the feeling of failure. “And then next thing you know, I was like, ‘I want to f—ing kill myself,'” he lamented. As he rode the curtails of this depressive state, Cooper felt he would be released from the show soon. He needed a change anyway, so he asked the director, J.J Abrams, to write him out of the series.

Underlying Reasons for Addiction

In the field of addiction, studies have shown that there are always underlying reasons for addiction. Cooper was experiencing depression and developed a suicidal ideology. While recreational drugs and Alcohol don’t actually help to suppress these conditions, they can temporarily make you feel better.

This is sadly a common narrative in the world of addiction. Often, people who become alcoholics or form drug addictions suffer from co-occurring disorders like depression, bi-polar disorder or anxiety. They self medicate, many without even realizing this is what they are doing, and end up worse off than before.

Bradley Cooper’s feelings of pressure to live up to his potential and disappointment in his role in Alias piled on. He had already developed a habit, but but his substance problem grew with the depressive state. Something had to give.

Bradley Cooper’s d2r.lifechange.150Decision To Get Sober

It wasn’t until 2012, that Bradley Cooper came out about his struggle with addiction in his 20s. He revealed that it took him until he was 29 to get sober and set his life back on track. Cooper suffered from an addiction to painkillers and alcohol which started to have a serious effect on his life and career.

“I was so concerned [with] what you thought of me, how I was coming across, how I would survive the day. I always felt like an outsider,” he said, “I realized I wasn’t going to live up to my potential, and that scared the hell out of me.”

He recalls a time being so drunk that he smashed his head on concrete landing him in the hospital. Someone less driven or ambitious might have let the addiction consume him. It could have been worse, though, as excessive drinking can cause serious health conditions. If he had continued down that road, who knows where he would be now.

Luckily, Cooper refused to go down without a fight. It takes a lot of courage and work to get clean and sober. Overcoming addiction is no easy task, but one that is well worth it. Many people feel alone and hopeless in their pain, but a brighter and happier world awaits in recovery.

Fighting For Success in Recovery

With his new-found life of sobriety, Bradley Cooper landed the role in The Hangover, which would blast his name through millions of homes across the world. This influx of fame would elevate a simple family man into Peoples Magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive.” Cooper would later accept leading roles in box office hits like American Hustle, American Sniper, Silver Linings Playbook and Joy. Cooper states that he could never have achieved the success he is experiencing today if he had not managed his addiction. Everything he has now, he owes to his sobriety and the 12-steps he took to get there. d2r.cooperfame.150

The clarity Bradley Cooper gained while being sober is far more valuable than he could have ever imagined. He has embraced the self he found in sobriety and fully committed to living the sober life.

“I was doing these movies … and I was sober,” he recalled, “And I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m actually myself. And I don’t have to put on this air to be somebody else, and this person still wants to work with me? Oh, what the f–k is that about?’ I was rediscovering myself in this workplace, and it was wonderful.”

Though many good things have happened to Cooper in the 11 years since getting clean from his addictions, the road to recovery was not easy. The hole that was left there seemed insurmountable at times. Some days, it left him feeling unfulfilled and unsatisfied.

“In the back of my head, or in a place of my heart of, like, creativity, did I feel utterly fulfilled? Absolutely not,” the Hangover star said. “But I was grateful and happy to be working and filling that void in smaller moments.”

Today, Cooper is an inspiration to anyone dealing with depression and addiction. It just goes to show that anyone can develop an addiction and anyone can find recovery.

Find Your Own Way Out of Addiction

Many different people deal with Alcohol and drug addiction. If you are struggling to kick a habit that is getting the best of you, you are not alone. Not only are millions of others going through the same challenges, but millions of people want to help you through it. You just need to find treatment that is right for you. There are so many services and resources designed to help people overcome and heal from addiction. To hear about your options in recovery, call (866)578-7471.

26 comments

  1. Great story, I love reading about people who overcome something hard in their lives. It’s inspirational and they should never feel ashamed of what they went through. Just amazing to see him soon so well now.

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    2. Me to I’m been off pain pills for over 2years and am very Greatfull ,my Business us better ,life and am in to working out ,on pills ,that’s all I thought about ,but no more ,thanks God

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  2. “Someone less driven or ambitious might have let the addiction consume him…” Wow, this betrays a misunderstanding of the role that one’s will plays in active addiction versus the role surrender plays in recovery. Surprising for a website of this kind.

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    1. I totally agree. I was surprised by that statement. It’s very judgemental to say such a thing. Sobriety has nothing to do with strength of character or willpower.
      Only God knows why some people escape while others succumb.

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      1. B******* God gave us all the right to choose and also gave us all the strength to do or not to do we all have the same willpower that God gave us it’s whether we choose to use it or not

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  4. My father died from this disease and I chose not to take the same bullet for my son or daughter. Three years sober October 24th. Hearing another story helps me to stay sober one more day, thank you

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  5. I knew nothing about him rather than he was an Actor.However,by the end of the film I thought… this guy has acted this part too well, and knew that he himself had obviously been an addict of some kind in his lifetime.
    Sadly he was, but obviously turned his life around and with his own personal experience produced a Film that was credible. credible.
    Hopefully thiusands who go to see this film, take note that addiction in any firm is a fool’s paradise and a total waste of the life given to us.
    Brave young man confessing to his own turbulent life, but in making this film, hopefully give thousands the strength to seek help and clean their lives.Thus ensuring they enjoy the remaining part of their journey through life.

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  6. They told me early on”Change or Die” 12 steps are a big part of my recovery.
    Thank you Bradley and may you be blessed with many more one day at a time.

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  7. Spiritual warfare is a big part of addiction….most people don’t believe this but the enemy sneaks around like a lion waiting to devour. To kill, steal and destroy. I tried many times to quit on my own and Jesus was the only way.

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      1. I attended over 600 AA meetings and although I stayed sober it was missing the biggest thing I need and that ois God and Jesus Christ. I’m sorry to say I slipped and this time I will only do it with my faith 🙏 and counseling. Surrender to God is the only way for me. Please pray for me. I want my life back!

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  8. Thank you Bradley. I too suffer and continue to keep trying to quit coke. My wife and I saw a Star is Born, and I am keeping your character close in my mind. Because I’m an honorable VET and really dig you in American Sniper with full respect. And you playing you in a Star and showing that if I keep riding that all night train ultimately we lose everything. I’ve stepped off

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    1. One big part of winning a game is to have a faith that you can win. Cooper believed in himself, and he made the impossible happen through his tireless efforts.

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  10. Bradley should be very proud of himself. From everything I have heard from others suffering it is a very hard thing to get over and get better. I admire what you have done and accomplished and will continue to accomplish.

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  11. Cooper’s story has a lesson for us that is “one has to win his own wars by himself.” No one can help us unless we start helping ourselves first. Overcoming Alcohol addiction is hard, but it is not impossible.

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  12. I always appreciate it when actors and celebrities are open with their struggles. Honestly these people are such big role models, it’s really important for them to be real with us (when possible and ok for their mental health). I’ve always been a fan of Bradley Cooper, and I’m glad he’s been able to fight his demons. It’s so sad when people who seem to have everything going for them still have the same real struggles as everyone else.

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  13. I never knew Bradley Cooper had an addiction in the past! I just loved him in the movie “Wet Hot American Summer” which I think was one of his first movies. I guess he was struggling with it then since he was in his early twenties in that movie (I think). I’ve always loved him as an actor.

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  15. Bradley Cooper is an amazing actor and seems like a really solid person — I’m always surprised that people who seem so down-to-earth turn out to be hiding serious addictions. It’s great that celebs have access to therapy and rehab that costs lots of money, and I hope more of them use their wealth to help others.

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  16. Alcoholism has no prejudice, it affects all walks of life. It is a chronic, progress disease, with the only cure being an abstinence from alcohol. A person with many years of sobriety can relapse and be right back where they last left off. Bradley Cooper is one of my favorite actors. I am so glad that he found sobriety and can be a role model for the sick and suffering alcoholic who is still suffering from this disease!!

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  17. I just love him in Silver Playbook Linings! I think he was in recovery then and you can tell, early recovery still vulnerable, beautiful! 12 steps is the only way!

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