26+ Celebrities Who Went to Recovery Programs

Like many child stars, Lindsay Lohan’s fame began to catch up with her, and she made her first court appearance in 2007. Since then, the actress has been ordered into recovery programs six different times.

However, Lohan believes that the desire to get better needs to come from the person who’s struggling, not from a court. Lindsay called her stint in those programs “pointless,” “a joke,” and “killing time.” To be clear, her issue isn’t with recovery programs, it’s with forcing people into them when they’re not ready.

Given how meticulously curated Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s images are, it’s no surprise that the rapper doesn’t speak to the press about his time in a recovery program. That said, it’s probable that his own experiences are what led Jay-Z to offer a helping hand to fellow musician Amy Winehouse.

Apparently, Winehouse confided in Jay-Z that her record label wanted her to receive treatment — but she refused. Realizing that Amy wouldn’t accept conventional help, Jay-Z made a different offer. “The first time we hung out, I told her, ‘Stay with us.’”

Drew Barrymore’s mother sent her to a recovery center when the actress was just 13 years old. Barrymore remained there for nearly two years, or as she refers to it, “the long haul.” Drew called the therapy she underwent in the facility “revealing and healing,” and credits the place for teaching her how to set boundaries.

Despite Barrymore’s mother leading her to the positive experience, Drew had to cut ties with her mom as part of her recovery. Luckily, the two are on better terms now.

One of the most tragic things about these dependencies is that they often end up hurting those the person loves the most. That was the case with David Hasselhoff when his daughter had finally had enough and took a video of her dad after he’d had one too many, in an attempt to show him what he was doing to their family.

Hasselhoff says that was the exact wake-up call he needed. “Thanks to the tape, I realized this was a problem that I needed to deal with.”

Anna Nicole Smith had a reputation for using all sorts of illegal substances, but the truth is that most of her dependencies were on medications that had been prescribed to her. And, as it turns out, people find it much harder to confront someone with a problem when a doctor’s signed off on it.

Smith’s bodyguard, Maurice ‘Big Moe’ Brighthaupt, revealed, “She was around enablers and sometimes it’s human nature to enable somebody to the simple fact you want them happy.”

Keith Urban almost lost everything due to his dependencies. The singer nearly sacrificed his career, his marriage to Nicole Kidman, and his freedom. Luckily, Urban realized everything he was risking and sought help.

Now that he’s in a much better place, Keith jokes, “I just realized I’m allergic to [substances]. Someone said, ‘You have an allergy? What happens when you drink?’ And I said, ‘I break out in cuffs.’” As for Kidman, she’s loyally stated, “I’m more than willing to walk it with him.”

Ozzy Osbourne was convinced that he didn’t need any help and that his dependencies weren’t an issue. At least, he was convinced until he had a fateful argument with his son Jack.

The singer recalled, “I had to talk business. And I said, ‘What have you ever […] wanted? I’ll give you whatever you want.’ He says, ‘What about a father?’ […] I went, ‘Oh, my God.’ I’d give whatever materialistic things they ever wanted. But the most important person wasn’t there.”

Chevy Chase’s antics have made him one of Hollywood’s most notorious comedians and even got him fired from the hit show Community. But how much of that is just who Chase is as a person, and how much was fueled by outside substances?

Well, according to Chevy, it’s all him, baby! Although the actor admits to having dependencies, he calls them “pretty low-level,” and refers to checking into a recovery program as a “tune-up.”

Billy Joel believes that his dependencies have been wildly exaggerated due to his getting into a car accident and checking into a recovery program immediately afterward. However, the singer insists that both incidents happened independently of each other.

Regardless of the reasons, Joel is doing better now and still enjoys a glass here or there, but he no longer goes over the top. Billy doesn’t think it was the accident or the program that helped him get clean, though. He’s said, “I just got to a point where I’d had enough.”

Liza Minnelli began to struggle with dependencies shortly after receiving prescription medication to help her cope with the passing of her mother, Judy Garland. Tragically, Garland was also known to have issues with various substances, making Minnelli more susceptible.

Liza has been extremely open with her fans about her time in recovery programs. The actress has said, “My whole life, this disease has been rampant. I inherited it, and it’s been horrendous, but I have always asked for help.”

Stevie Nicks recognized that she was struggling, and checked herself into a recovery program, rather than wait around for a knight in shining armor to rescue her. The singer proudly exclaims, “I got through some pretty scary moments. But I saved me. Nobody else saved me. I survived me.”

While it’s beautiful when someone has a support system to guide them through tough times, it’s also admirable when a person manages to overcome difficulties even if they don’t have help.

Alice Cooper didn’t want to admit that he needed help, but his wife Sheryl, and manager Shep Gordon, chose to provide assistance anyway. After Sheryl witnessed Cooper wake up exceptionally ill, she and Gordon feared that Alice’s dependencies were killing him, so they checked him into a facility.

Despite being there against his will, Cooper is grateful for the “tough love.” He recalls, “I needed somebody to stop me. I was probably waiting for it.”

Kelsey Grammer sought help after his Frasier colleagues staged an intervention for him. In a rare glimpse of what it’s like to be on the giving end of such an interaction, John Mahoney revealed, “It’s going to somebody’s house whom you love, who’s down, and just beating him down even further for his own good.”

As difficult as it may have been at the time, the intervention clearly worked, as Grammer has been clean for over 20 years now.

Unfortunately, Steven Tyler’s healthy lifestyle suffered a road bump in 2022, and the singer had to enter a recovery program after being clean for 10 years.

After Tyler showed his dedication to the process by staying longer than the 30 days required of him, a rep assured fans that Steven is doing “extremely well and looking forward to being back on stage.” The sad regression came after Tyler was prescribed medication to help him manage his pain after foot surgery.

Ben Affleck has admitted that he regrets a lot of what he’s done that led him to a recovery program — particularly the things that are in the media for his children to see. That said, the actor recognizes that his platform means he can send an important message.

Affleck has said, “I want my kids to know there is no shame in getting help when you need it, and to be a source of strength for anyone out there who needs help but is afraid to take the first step.”

Pete Davidson is no stranger to in-patient programs as the comedian has been “in and out of mental health facilities” since the age of nine. In 2023, at age 29, Davidson checked himself into another recovery program for an undisclosed amount of time.

The actor struggles with using substances to ease his anxiety and the pain he suffers due to Crohn’s disease. However, those products have led Pete to a mental breakdown, which is what led him to ask for help.

Lamar Odom has taken his own recovery several steps further by acquiring three treatment centers in order to help others on their own journeys to living healthier lives.

The former basketball star refers to the recovery programs as his new purpose and says that seeing others benefit from the work he’s doing now is “more satisfying than people telling me what a great basketball player I was.” In fact, Lamar believes that this is the very reason he survived his own dependencies.

Despite the fact that Heather Locklear has undergone various treatments for her dependencies, a source close to the actress insists “she doesn’t seem to be making any kind of progress.”

It’s hard to believe it’s due to a lack of consistency, though, as the same source explains that Locklear has sought recovery “more than 20 times, perhaps 25 times” since 2008. They don’t question the facilities, however — this person blames Heather and claims that she doesn’t take her recovery seriously.

In 2020, Scott Disick perfectly encapsulated the reality that recovery is a life-long process. Despite the fact that he hadn’t fallen back to his old ways, Disick felt himself being tempted due to the stress and anxiety of his life at the time.

Therefore, he checked into a facility as a preventative measure. The TV personality said that he made this decision so that he could “be the best person I can be for my family.”

Kim Richards has been in recovery programs four separate times but truly feels that she’s found her path to a healthier lifestyle. The actress says she’s found “complete clarity” and her involvement in spirituality has made her dependencies suddenly unappealing.

Richards explained, “I don’t want it here because it’s going to interfere with what I do. There isn’t room for that.” It seems that for her, the trick was to fill that void with something healthier.

Hayden Panettiere didn’t struggle with dependancies until 2015, when she had her daughter Kaya, and suffered from postpartum depression. The actress turned to adult beverages as a way of managing her feelings.

Nobly, Panettiere realized she needed to work on herself — for her daughter’s sake — and gave Kaya’s father full custody while she checked into a facility. Hayden recalls, “After eight months of intensive therapy, I felt like I had this blank canvas to work with.” As for little Kaya, Panettiere has assured fans, “She has a beautiful life.”

Most people attribute their dependencies to a difficult time in their life or a negative influence. John Stamos, though, blames his youthful looks. The actor says that he had Peter Pan Syndrome, never wanted to grow up, and “went into becoming an adult kicking and screaming.”

In 2015, Stamos was caught driving his car when he was in no condition to do so. After that, John went to a recovery program, which he called “the hardest thing ever.” It was there that Stamos realized he had to change his partying ways.

Kesha says that her decision to seek assistance in 2014 was just as much for her fans as it was for herself. The singer explains, “I have a public persona where I need to be fun all the time, and I refuse to be a hypocrite.”

She continued, “I felt I needed to get help, not only for myself but also for my fans. My worst fear in life is to be fake.” Kesha wants her supporters to know, “The whole process has made me so much stronger.”

Jon Hamm doesn’t really understand the stigma around recovery programs, as he feels it’s similar to any other form of therapy.

The actor has said, “It has all these connotations, but it’s just an extended period of talking about yourself. […] There’s something to be said for pulling yourself out of the grind for a period of time and concentrating on recalibrating the system. ” The actor sought assistance for his dependencies in 2015 and has since expressed that the process really does work.

There seems to be some public debate as to why Ireland Baldwin checked into a facility. The press claims it was due to excessive partying, while the model says that she needed to “just get away for a little bit” and work on her mental well-being.

The media also claims that Baldwin’s family forced her to seek help, while Ireland insists that it was her own decision. Regardless of the circumstances, Baldwin spent two weeks in a recovery program in 2015 and seems to be doing better now.

Demi Lovato has been to treatment facilities three times, with one of those instances being after an experience in which the singer nearly lost her life and had to spend two weeks in the hospital prior to entering recovery.

Newly treated, Lovato is making music again and says that her work is much better now that she’s healthy and stable. Regarding being clean while recording, Demi admitted, “I can’t say that about my last album, but this one I’m really proud about.”

Given that professional athletes retire so young, many of them struggle with feeling directionless at an age when most people are still working. That’s what Michael Phelps experienced after competing in the 2012 Olympics when he announced his retirement at 27 years old (he later ended up returning to swimming for one last competition).

The athlete developed dependencies and found himself “on an express elevator to the bottom floor, wherever that might be.” Luckily, he found his purpose again and hasn’t touched any problematic substances since 2014.

Amanda Bynes made an important point when she expressed that she’s never been dependent on serious substances. However, she does indulge in some lighter vices which, mixed with her mental struggles, create a dangerous combination. The actress explained, “Certain things that you think are harmless, they may actually affect you in a more harmful way.”

Bynes serves as a crucial reminder that no two people are alike, and just because someone can enjoy something every so often without suffering consequences doesn’t mean another person can do the same.

Zac Efron is a huge fan of the recovery process he underwent, as the actor has said, “I think it’s changed my life. I’m much more comfortable in my own skin. Things are so much easier now.”

Efron struggled with his swiftly growing fame back in 2014 and began to isolate himself from the rest of the world in the pursuit of privacy — which led to some dependencies. Highlighting the darker side of celebrity, Zac explained, “You spend a lot of time in your house going crazy.”

In Britney Spears’ case, it’s highly debatable how much of her dependencies occurred of her own accord, and what was due to being under a conservatorship for 13 years. The pop star claims that her stint in recovery programs was an attempt to make her appear unstable, while some people around Spears insist the treatments were for her own good.

A source close to the singer expressed that the facility “affords her the opportunity to rejuvenate and rest, it gives her the ability to recharge with some real peace and quiet.”

Catherine Zeta-Jones and her husband, Michael Douglas, have been through thick and thin together. Douglas suffered some health issues, the stress of which exacerbated Zeta-Jones’ existing mental struggles. Realizing that she needed help with managing the situation, Catherine checked herself into a recovery facility.

Douglas supported the actress’ decision, and lovingly expressed, “She’s doing a really good job of getting balanced. I’m proud of her.” We’re happy to say that both celebs are now in much better health — and their marriage is still going strong!

Although Charlie Sheen has been to recovery facilities, he doesn’t credit being forced into them for his newfound health. Instead, the actor believes it was his children that sparked his commitment to getting better.

Sheen explained, “I couldn’t get my daughter to an appointment that she had […] I was like, ‘Wow, I am not even responsible enough to be available for my children’s needs.’ The next morning I woke up and was like, ‘Today is the day.'”

Eva Mendes is notoriously private, so it makes sense that the actress refuses to be a spokesperson for recovery. Mendes has told the media that she spent some time at a facility in 2008 due to her dependencies. However, she was reluctant to share any further details.

Not one to leave the press empty-handed, Eva was willing to make a general statement. “I’m proud of people who have the determination and the fearlessness to actually go and face their demons and get better. This is a life or death situation.”

Robert Downey Jr. is known as one of Hollywood’s biggest comebacks, as he was essentially written off due to his dependencies, but bounced back with his role as Iron Man.

Interestingly, Iron Man was also in need of redemption, which is exactly why producers felt Downey Jr. was the right actor for the part. Robert aptly shared that his difficult period in life doesn’t define him when he said, “I am not my story.”

Nicole Richie shed some light on why people who seemingly have everything develop dependencies anyway. In the same logic of lottery winners being susceptible to depression, the TV personality shared that her life became too easy too quickly.

“I got so much so fast that nothing really excited me anymore. I kind of took matters into my own hands and was creating drama in a very dangerous way. I think I was just bored, and I had seen everything – especially when you’re young, you just want more.”

It’s known that being susceptible to dependencies can be heredity, and that seems to be the case with the Osbourne family. Like her father, Ozzy, Kelly Osbourne has found herself in and out of recovery programs multiple times.

However, the TV personality seems to have learned from her relapse in 2021. Osbourne shared that she mistakenly “thought that I had enough time under my belt and I could drink like a normal person, and it turns out I cannot and I will never be normal.”

Demi Moore started using illegal substances at a young age because she was “young and didn’t know how to become part of the crowd.” However, the actress got a much-needed wake-up call when filming St. Elmo’s Fire.

Moore showed up on set so unaware of herself that the director, Joel Schumacher, sent her home. Rather than give up on Demi altogether, Schumacher hired a live-in counselor for the actress and made it clear that any money Moore earned from the movie couldn’t be used towards products that’d harm her.

Jamie Lee Curtis developed dependencies while indulging in another Hollywood cliché — cosmetic surgery. The actress was prescribed medication after having a procedure done, and sadly, things escalated from there.

Jamie Lee CurtisCurtis believes that being someone who requires a recovery program is a “badge of honor.” She explained, “It is a way of acknowledging something that is a profound statement and can be, for many people, life-changing. […] It is the secret shame that keeps people locked up in their disease.”

Matthew Perry has spent over $9 million in over 15 recovery programs trying to get healthy. The actor explained that he turned to illegal substances and adult beverages as a way of dealing with becoming a major celebrity, essentially overnight, thanks to his role on the hit show Friends.

Of course, fans of Chandler were unaware of Perry’s struggles at the time. Nowadays, Matthew says, “I’m grateful for how bad it got. It only made me more adamant about trying to get better.”

After shooting several action movies, and sustaining various injuries on set, Gerard Butler started turning to prescribed substances to manage his pain. However, he found himself unable to stop taking the medication and sought help.

The actor insists that things never got out of hand, but he wanted to nip the issue in the bud. “I was actually taking a minimal amount when I went in. It was more about becoming a mental warrior and not letting pain bother you.”

Although Colin Farrell has struggled with dependencies since he was 14 years old, the actor blames Hollywood for making it so difficult to get — and stay — healthy. Farrell explained, “At a certain level, you are allowed to do whatever the […] you want, in a way that is maddening.”

Eventually, Colin was inspired to seek help by other people in his life that had gone through their own recovery processes. He was also moved at his son’s second birthday party, at which, “I think I just decided to live.”

Melanie Griffith began turning to adult beverages at the age of 10 as a way of coping with feeling unloved in her environment. Poetically, it was tough love that made the actress seek help when she was 30 years old.

Griffith showed up to the set of Working Girl very out of sorts, and director Mike Nichols made her pay $80,000 to compensate for the production time lost. Melanie recalls, “It was a very humbling, embarrassing experience, but I learned a lot from it.”

Eminem is widely regarded as one of the best rappers of all time, but he nearly lost that ability when he became dependent on various substances. In fact, Eminem insists that his first album after undergoing a recovery program was “the first time I started having fun with music again.”

He also warned fans, “It took a long time for my brain to start working again” as there was cause for concern that the rapper’s mental capacities had been permanently damaged. Luckily, both Eminem and his talent are now in good health.

While paparazzi are universally hated — and for good reason — they actually served Cara Delevingne well. The model admits that it was being caught red-handed by some paparazzo that led her to seek recovery.

Delevingne explained, “I thought I was having fun, but at some point, it was like, ‘Okay, I don’t look well.’ You know, sometimes you need a reality check, so in a way, those pictures were something to be grateful for.” Cara is now doing much better, which she credits to a 12-step program, meditation, exercise, and psychodrama therapy.

Flavor Flav wants his fans to know, in no uncertain terms, that trying illegal substances was “one of the worst mistakes that I could’ve really ever made with my life.” The rapper went on to call that part of his life a “nightmare” and says he’s lucky to have survived it at all.

In fact, Flav strongly believes that the reason he’s still with us is so that he can caution others against making the same mistakes — a mission which he’s fully committed to.