Jessica Simpson Celebrates 6 Years of Sobriety
Jessica Simpson speaks onstage during Create & Cultivate Los Angeles at Rolling Greens Los Angeles on February 22, 2020 in Los Angeles, California.
Jessica Simpson is celebrating a major milestone in her alcohol addiction journey. She took to social media on Thursday (November 2) with a throwback post. The 43-year-old mother of three reshared a photo of herself from 2021 to her Instagram Stories, writing under it, “6 years ago.” In the photo, Simpson looks contemplative, sitting on a couch wearing a pink sweatsuit, with the sun shining on half her face. She wrote in her caption at the time that she did not recognize this version of herself in the photo, which was taken in the early morning of November 1, 2017.
Simpson’s Reflection on Sobriety
She recalled in the reflective caption that she had so much self-discovery to unlock and explore. “I knew in this very moment I would allow myself to take back my light, show victory over my internal battle of self respect, and brave this world with piercing clarity. Personally, to do this I needed to stop drinking alcohol because it kept my mind and heart circling in the same direction and quite honestly I was exhausted.” Simpson proudly said she “wanted to feel the pain so I could carry it like a badge of honor.” Further motivating herself to do better, Simpson declared she wanted “to live as a leader does and break cycles to advance forward.”
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Concluding the post, Simpson pointed out how there is “so much stigma around the word alcoholism or the label of an alcoholic.” The Texas native knew the real work that needed to be done in her life was to accept failure, pain, brokenness, and self-sabotage. “The drinking wasn’t the issue,” she continued. “I was. I didn’t love myself. I didn’t respect my own power. Today I do. I have made nice with the fears and I have accepted the parts of my life that are just sad. I own my personal power with soulful courage. I am wildly honest and comfortably open. I am free.”
Celebrity Sobriety Journeys
Addiction is tough for anyone to overcome. With celebrities being in the spotlight and receiving criticism on a constant basis, sobriety is even harder to manage. The entertainment industry is well-known for exposing celebrities to drugs and alcohol. Some celebrities have experienced highly publicized setbacks, like Ben Affleck and Demi Lovato. Others struggled with their substance abuse in secret, like Drew Barrymore and Jamie Lee Curtis. However, the two have successfully completed treatment programs and are currently doing much better.
The Celebrity Sobriety Journey
Sobriety is more than giving up drugs and alcohol. It is an ongoing process that requires a commitment to a substance-free life, which can be difficult at times. The most difficult step is often recognizing and admitting that you have a problem with drug or alcohol misuse. Sobriety is a lifelong journey filled with challenges and obstacles but also incredible rewards.
Per a study conducted by the National Library of Medicine, individuals with extensive substance use histories can and do recover to become productive members of society. Long-term recovery is maintained with social support and affiliation with 12-step groups. Among recovering substance users, “hitting bottom” is often cited as the turning point and the beginning of their recovery. Hitting bottom is the realization of how much has been lost to substance abuse (home, health, friends, self-respect, jobs) and life itself unless a drastic change is made.
(Photo by Chris Livingston/Getty Images)
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, reach out to SAMHSA’s National Helpline. It is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders. Call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or visit the online treatment locator, or send your zip code via text message to 435748 (HELP4U) to find help near you.
Keep scrolling to find out more about these celebrity sobriety journeys:
Laila Abuelhawa is the Top 40 and Hip-Hop pop culture writer for Beasley Media Group. Being with the company for over three years, Laila's fierce and fabulous red-carpet rankings have earned her a feature on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert!' Her favorite stories are those surrounding the latest in celebrity fashion, television and film rankings, and how the world reacts to major celebrity news. With a background in journalism, Laila's stories ensure accuracy and offer background information on stars that you wouldn't have otherwise known. She prides herself in covering stories that inform the public about what is currently happening and what is to come in the ever-changing, ever-evolving media landscape.