A slippery slope. Dax Shepard isn’t interested in lying about his past drug use because it prevents him from connecting with other people.
The Parenthood alum, 45, opened up on the Tuesday, October 6, episode of the “Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum” podcast about why honesty is important to him.
“There will be people who don’t want to admit they smoke weed,” he said. “I’m just a little confused by it.”
Shepard added, “If you’re not going to be honest about stuff, there are just roadblocks in interviewing. I could advance this whole thing, but I don’t want to tell people I’ve done cocaine so now I can’t advance it because of that. They all end up being little roadblocks along the way.”
The episode was recorded before the Hit and Run star revealed he had relapsed on opioids during his 16-year sobriety journey. Shepard got candid about his struggles on the September 25 episode of his “Armchair Expert” podcast. The Chips star revealed he was seven days sober after misusing prescription drugs in the wake of multiple incidents, including the death of his father in 2013 and a motorcycle accident in August.
Shepard also recalled his 16th sobriety birthday celebration, which he called “the worst hour of my life,” during the episode. “I was high at the meeting having people tell me they admire my sobriety,” he said.
The Employee of the Month star eventually told his wife, Kristen Bell, about his relapse and began attending meetings. A source told Us Weekly at the time that Bell, 40, is standing by the actor’s side following his confession. The couple share daughters, Lincoln, 7, and Delta, 5.
“Eventually, he couldn’t hide it from her any longer and he had to come clean,” the insider explained. “She was nothing but supportive and there’s no blame or anger on her side — just love, care and determination to get through this together. Her heart aches for Dax after what he went through with his dad, and she’s beyond proud of him for turning his life around whilst openly addressing his demons head-on.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
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