All the stars of the Harry Potter movie series are making tabloid headlines these days with the release of the last installment of the series – and Daniel Radcliffe, Harry Potter himself, is the most prominent. In a recent interview with the UK version of GQ, Radcliffe talked about an alcohol abuse problem that plagued him during his teen years while filming the first few Harry Potter movies.

Says Radcliffe: “I became so reliant on alcohol to enjoy stuff. There were a few years there when I was just so enamored with the idea of living some sort of famous person’s lifestyle that really isn’t suited to me.”

Radcliffe was 11 years old when he made the first Harry Potter movie – and was instantly famous. That’s when the alcohol abuse and dependence began and Radcliffe considers it amazing that he was never caught by the paparazzi while under the influence or with a drink in his hand: “I really got away with that because there were many instances when a paparazzi shot like that could have been taken.”

Luckily, it didn’t take a lifetime for Radcliffe to realize that alcohol addiction was ruining his life. He’s been drug-free and alcohol-free for almost a year now – since August of 2010. Total abstinence is his way of life now and he’s embraced it wholeheartedly: “As much as I would love to be a person that goes to parties and has a couple of drinks and has a nice time, that doesn’t work for me. I’m actually enjoying the fact I can have a relationship with my girlfriend where I’m really pleasant and I’m not f–king up totally all the time. There’s no shame in enjoying the quiet life. And that’s been the realization of the past few years for me.”

Radcliffe’s revelations are refreshing for a number of reasons. First, it’s good to see someone who started drinking so young and continued to drink heavily for so long make the decision to get clean and sober and stick to it. Second, as a celebrity, it’s not so rare to develop an alcohol addiction or even to go to alcohol rehab, but it is extremely rare to kick the habit so young and to remain dedicated to sobriety without the usual DUI charges, accidents, relapses, and revolving door rehab stints.

If you started drinking at a young age, it’s never too late to quit. Contact us today to find out more about our alcohol detox and addiction treatment programs here at The Canyon. Call now.

Tags: alcohol abuse, Alcohol Rehab, Daniel Radcliffe alcohol abuse, harry potter alcohol addiction, teen alcohol addiction

   

About Valeria W.

       

Valeria W. likes to consider herself "an encyclopedia" of addiction and rehab knowledge. Valeria lives to hear from people who have been positively influenced by her work - and sought out drug or alcohol rehab help as a result of the information she has provided.

Also written by: Valeria W.