How Sobriety Transformed Samuel L. Jackson’s Career
“I was out of my mind a lot of the time, but I had a good reputation.”
Samuel L. Jackson was once the prototypical “high-functioning addict.” He was a well-respected theater actor who exuded professionalism, but he was also addicted to crack.
According to the Guardian, his drug use started in the sixties while he was in college. Initially, he experimented with alcohol, marijuana, and LSD. In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Jackson said that he then branched out to harder drugs, including heroin, cocaine, and eventually crack. The latter became an addiction for 15 years.
Jackson’s drug use didn’t come to an end until 1991. According to THR, his turning point came when his wife and young daughter found him passed out in the kitchen, surrounded by drug paraphernalia. At his wife’s insistence, he entered rehab, and he has been sober ever since.
High-Functioning Addiction
The term “high-functioning addict” refers to someone who is able to excel in many parts of their life despite a serious addiction. In contrast to the stereotypical homeless addict struggling on the streets, high-functioning addicts often hold down stable careers, build families, and experience plenty of success.
