Kristen Johnston has opened up on her past substance abuse and how her sobriety has been going since.
Kristen Johnston Opens Up On Her Past Substance Abuse
In an interview on the Heart of Matter podcast, she revealed how she was glad to finally put her demons to rest. She said: “Oh, my God, just thinking about that time of my life, it gives me chills. The thing I’m happiest about in my life is that I’m no longer using. It really is because there is no greater hell.”
So what led to the addiction? Well, it seems that the pressures within the acting industry got too much for Kristen. Specifically, things spiralled out of control during her time on 3rd Rock from the Sun. As the show continued to take off, the prospect of dealing with the fame was too overpowering. She added: “I didn’t realize until later that I lived in a state of absolute panic for ten years.
“It was just crazy. I had no ability that I have today of just putting [things] into perspective, and like, ‘Oh, get over it. Just move on. There’s more important things to worry about.’ I hate to say that I was a cliche, but I really was. I mean, I was an actress who couldn’t handle it. Couldn’t handle the fame.”
So what forced Kristen to change? She recalled an incident in which she was rushed to a hospital but did not have her friends near her. As it was New Year’s Eve, they had other things on their mind. As such, the prospect of watching her friends celebrate without her became too much to bear. That is why she forced herself to change.
She continued: “They’re with their friends and their family, and they are not worried about where their next pills are. They’re not worried about when they’re going to drink their next drink. They’re just there enjoying the fireworks, and I was like, ‘I haven’t done that for 15 years.’ And that started my journey to recovery.”
It is good to see Kristen in good health, and her story can serve as an example to others who may be suffering from similar demons. If you enjoyed reading this article, then make sure you check out our other features on the Daily Soap Dish. Please also visit TVRocker for all of the latest exciting news on all of your favourite daytime television soaps.
