Russell Brand celebrates 16 years of sobriety with an emotional video
Russell Brand has celebrated 16 years of sobriety by posting an emotional video.
The actor and comedian, 43, announced the achievement via his Twitter page on Thursday, and was teary-eyed as he discussed his journey, admitting he was ‘eggshell fragile’ at the depths of his heroin and crack addiction.
Speaking in the candid clip, he said: ‘I remember being eggshell fragile, this time sixteen years ago. December 12th, the day before, 2002… Jesus.
Congratulations: Russell Brand has celebrated 16 years of sobriety by posting an emotional video posted to his Twitter page on Thursday
‘I’d scored two brown – that’s heroin, two white – that’s crack. It may be a little more, I can’t remember. Just tryna, need to big up my last use, but anyway I remember using it in Camden.
‘I would have been hanging out with my various mates’ houses, none of whom were drug addicts, I was just sort of sneaking off to do drugs in their toilets.’
The Forgetting Sarah Marshall star – who is now completely sober after being treated at a rehab clinic for heroin addiction and other drugs – attributed his success to keep sober to those who helped guide him.
He explained: ‘I had the privilege of going to a 12-step treatment
Message of Gratitude – 16 years Clean. THANK YOU. ❤ pic.twitter.com/7FtemuvQky
— Russell Brand (@rustyrockets) December 13, 2018
I’d scored two brown – that’s heroin, two white – that’s crack. It may be a little more, I can’t remember. Just tryna, need to big up my last use, but anyway I remember using it in Camden.
‘I would have been hanging out with my various mates’ houses, none of whom were drug addicts, I was just sort of sneaking off to do drugs in their toilets.’
The Forgetting Sarah Marshall star – who is now completely sober after being treated at a rehab clinic for heroin addiction and other drugs – attributed his success to keep sober to those who helped guide him.
He explained: ‘I had the privilege of going to a 12-step treatment
And then coming out and finding other people, support groups where people would sort me out.
Other, meeting mentors to hold my hand along the way lights further down the path to look at and guide me.’
Russell admitted getting involved with various groups helped him feel like he was part of a community, as he also said that his wife Laura Gallacher and their two daughters have truly transformed his life.
He said: ‘And now, 16 years, two daughters, married, dogs, peace of mind, not enslaved by the opinion of others, not enslaved by “Aw, if I could get more money, if I could get more fame, if I could get more sex”.
All the things that get me off drink and drugs can be worked in every area of life and those of you that are struggling with drink, drugs, food, sex, porn, bad relationships. Other people’s opinions, all of these things you can be liberated from.’
Russell then tried to reassure those struggling, saying: ‘First, you have to admit it’s a problem. Then you have to believe it’s possible to change. Then you have to ask for and accept help.
‘Some of that can be metaphysical, help from perfect consciousness within you and without you. And some of it, deeply practical, just asking help from other people that are further down the path than you.’
Relating it to his problems, he added: ‘I was a proper smack-head, crack-head, and look at me now! No smack, no crack, still problems, still crazy, I mean look at that (pointing to his hair), that should have been tended to before the video went up.
But I have freedom now and you can have freedom too. We can change ourselves, we can change everything.
‘Thanks for everyone, I’m extremely grateful for everybody who has helped me on this journey. All of you, thank you.’
Russell was inundated with messages of support from fans, including TV presenter Davina McCall, 51, who has endured a battle with substance abuse herself in the past.
Referring to Davina’s sobriety, Russell responded: ‘Davina, who walks the path ahead of me, holding a light (and possibly a doughnut), thank you.
Russell had a well-publicised battle with Class A substances back in 2002, resulting in more than a dozen brushes with the law – including a high-profile arrest by the Metropolitan Police for stripping off during an anti-capitalist Mayday protest in London’s Piccadilly Circus.
After becoming sober, the star even penned a book to help others overcome their demons, titled Recovery: Freedom from Our Addictions, in October last year.
Russell has previously credited overcoming his drug addiction with the help of yoga and transcendental meditation – which even his ex wife, Katy Perry, 34, thanked him for after introducing the technique to her during their two-year marriage in 2010.
Russell and his second wife Laura Gallacher, 31, tied the knot in a romantic ceremony in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, in August 2017 with the great and good of showbiz watching, including Noel Gallagher and David Baddiel.
They are the proud parents of two children – daughter Mabel, two, and a second daughter, who is thought to have been born in July this year and whose name has not yet been revealed.
Back in September, Russell admitted that his new life as a father-of-two was ‘exhausting bliss’ that had left him with grey hair.
In an interview with Good Morning Britain, he pointed to his beard as he joked: ‘A lot of this greyness is being applied retrospectively, though some of it is as a result of having two daughters so it’s a combination.
The star added: ‘Do you know what, it’s bliss? Exhausting bliss. Shattering bliss. Knackering, beautiful, glorious bliss. Help me!
(Source: www.dailymail.co.uk)
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