Rob Lowe Talks Addiction On Oprah

Celebrity lives are different from ours, from the press and the money to the parties and the opportunities. But when it comes to addiction, the playing field is leveled. Whether you’re famous or a complete unknown, you have to face recovery from substance abuse the same way – one step at a time.

Rob Lowe recently took to Oprah’s stage this week to talk about the highs and lows of celebrity, his famous friends, and his struggle with alcohol addiction. The 47-year-old Lowe was sharing tales from his autobiography, Stories I Only Tell My Friends.

Rob Lowe Hits Bottom

In treatment, there is a lot of talk about hitting rock bottom. For Lowe that came during his infamous sex tape scandal. "It ends up being the greatest thing that ever happened to me," he told Oprah. "Because what it ends up doing is accelerating my alcohol [addiction] to where I finally get sober. I have been able to have the rest of my life that I'm so blessed with, which is now 20 years of sobriety."

Lowe attributes his out-of-control partying in his 20s to the combination of sudden fame and internal issues. "I had long ago become a creation, a public image made to be consumed, piled on top of a precarious shell of a little boy wanting to be loved,” he told Oprah. “Finally, the whole thing has caved in around me, and I am thrilled."

Rob also opened up to the talk show queen about his childhood friend Charlie Sheen, someone he still cares about deeply. "He doesn't want anything to do with [rehab]," Rob told Oprah. "I look at him as a scout. He is out there seeing if guys like he and I can make it without [rehab], and we'll see how that goes."

Meanwhile, Rob seems thankful for going the traditional route, crediting his clean living with allowing him to enjoy life with his wife of more than 20 years and their two teenage sons. He’s also appearing regularly alongside Amy Poehler on the sitcom Parks & Recreation, proving second acts are possible in Hollywood and that life in recovery can be fuller than someone in the throes of addiction could ever imagine.

Alcohol Rehab

If you or someone you love is in need of alcohol rehab, call The Canyon at our toll-free number. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about treatment, financing or insurance.