Courtesy of: discover0.com
The unexpected death of actor Robin Williams brings a tragic end to the comedian’s long battle with addiction and mental illness.
Williams checked himself into a renewal center just weeks prior, but his struggle with addiction dated back more than 30 years. Robin battled cocaine and alcohol addiction in the early ‘80s, after his rise to fame on Mork and Mindy.
“Cocaine for me was a place to hide,” Williams told People Magazine in 1988. “Most people get hyper on coke. It slowed me down.”
The actor was with fellow comedian John Belushi during the Blues Brothers star’s all-night cocaine and heroin binge that resulted in a fatal drug overdose.
William’s Motivation To Give Up Drugs And Alcohol
The death of Belushi alongside Williams’s then-wife Valerie Velardi’s pregnancy with the couple’s son, Zak, inspired the comedian to quit alcohol and cocaine cold turkey.
“The Belushi tragedy was frightening,” Williams recalled. “his death scared a whole group of show-business people. It caused a big exodus from drugs. And for me, there was the baby coming. I knew I couldn’t be a father and live that sort of life.” Says Republican American.
Realizing Professional Help Is Necessary – Even After Getting Sober On Your Own
Like so many of our clients, Robin eventually realized he could not combat addiction on his own. After 20 years of sobriety, Robin checked himself into rehab for alcohol abuse in 2006.
The actor later stated that he had not confronted the underlying issues at the root of his addiction.
“There was still, in the background, this voice, like, ‘Psst,’” Robin later told the New York Times. “So when I relapsed, I went back hard. The one thing I hadn’t dealt with was, ‘how honest do you want to live?’”
Yet again, it was Robin’s son, Zak, who played an integral role in Williams’s decision to seek sobriety. Without going into detail, Zak told The Times of his father’s rehab stint, “There was an ultimatum attached to it. I’m pretty confident that if he continued drinking, he would not be alive today.”
Following two months of treatment at an Oregon rehabilitation facility, Williams recalled his struggle to get sober, saying it was a “very gradual” descent into abuse.
“It’s the same thought that… you’re standing at the precipice and you look down, there’s a voice and it’s a little quiet voice that goes, ‘Jump’. The same voice that goes, ‘Just one’… And the idea of just one for someone who has no tolerance for it, that’s not the possibility.”
Recovery From Drug And Alcohol Abuse Is Possible!
Recovery from drug and alcohol abuse is a life-long journey. At The Dunes East Hampton, our addiction specialists emphasize preparation techniques to help clients achieve and maintain a happy and long-lasting sobriety, while avoiding pitfalls and relapse triggers.
If you or someone you know is struggling with an addiction to drugs or alcohol, you’ve come to the right place. We provide individualized care and treatment and focus on each of our client’s specific needs.
Pick up the phone today and let us help you begin the journey to a substance-free life!
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