Drew Barrymore has been successful in her acting career to say the least; it may be hard to believe, but at one point she was very close to destroying her life because of drug and alcohol addiction. Her battle with substance abuse is now many years behind her and she has become a great example for young people struggling with drug and alcohol issues.

The Child Star With A Drug Addiction Problem

Drew Barrymore made her first on-stage appearance when she was 11 months of age. She comes from lineage of actors – her grandfather (John Barrymore) appeared in the 1932 movie Grand Hotel with Greta Garbo. Drew starred in her first movie at age five, Altered States. became famous two years later when she appeared in ET.

It is common for child celebrities to struggle with their success; Drew was soon negatively influenced by all the attention. She missed out on what some might refer to as a “normal childhood.” By age nine, Drew was smoking cigarettes and within two years she drinking alcohol and smoking weed. At the young age of 12, she began using cocaine – her life began to spiral out of control shortly there after.

Drew Barrymore entered her first substance abuse rehab center at age 13. She rebelled against addiction treatment; as a result, she relapsed time and time again. Her life fell further and further down scale and she eventually would attempt to commit suicide.

Overcoming Her Drug Addiction At Age Fourteen

After countless failed attempts to stop on her own accord, Drew entered drug rehab again at age fourteen – this time she meant business. She recognized that addiction had her in it’s cold gloomy grips, and she knew that things would continue to get very bad for her if she wasn’t able to stop. Drew finally made recovery her number one priority in life.

Learning to build a life in sobriety is often said to be very challenging for young people. Drew stopped abusing alcohol and drugs at a time when her peers were just getting started. She began adopting sober role models; in the recovery process, she made friends with people who knew how to party without mind-altering substances (i.e. alcohol drugs, etc.).

A Life Free Of Addiction

Most child celebrities end up on some sort of, ‘Where Are They Now?’ list, but not Drew Barrymore. The biggest successes in her career have transpired during her adulthood. She has appeared huge blockbusters such as ‘Charlie’s Angels’ and ‘Riding in Cars with Boys’. Drew also owns a production company called Flower Films – today she is considered one of the most successful female producer in the world.

Drew Barrymore is now thirty-eight years young. She has faced plenty of challenges along the way and has found success in sobriety. She has not fallen back into the grasps of drug addiction. Drew is a fine example for people of all ages, especially young people. The message in her story is clear – it is possible to break free from addiction at any age.