Bradley Cooper is considered the ‘sexiest man alive’ by People magazine. The 38 year old is currently one of the hottest properties in Hollywood with hit movies behind him like The Place Beyond the Pines, Limitless, and The A-Team. In 2012, he won an academy award for his starring role in Silver Linings Playbook. Bradley Cooper is a huge success, so it is hard to believe that a decade ago he was struggling with addiction to alcohol and drugs and on the verge of suicide.
The Addiction Problems of Bradley Cooper
Many celebrities fall into addiction when their career takes off, but it was a different story for Bradley Cooper. He turned to substance abuse as a way of dealing with the frustration of a career in show business that he felt had stalled. He had tasted some success with Sex in the City and Globe Trekker, but by 2001, it felt as if his career was going nowhere. Alcohol allowed him to deal with his sense of failure, but this temporary comfort came at a huge price.
Bradley’s fall into addiction was fast and painful. He became suicidal, and for a time it looked as if he might be on a path to a tragically young death. Bradley was somehow able to pull himself back from the brink. He became sober at the age of 29, and great things started to happen to him. The last nine years in sobriety have been his most successful. He is the perfect example of how breaking away from addiction can lead to a wonderful new life.
Alcoholism and Suicide
Bradley Cooper could have easily ended up taking his own life because of his substance abuse. There is a close link between alcohol and suicide; the vast majority of those committing suicide will have been drinking beforehand. Addiction robs all the good things from a person’s life, making them feel as if there is no real reason to go on. The members of Alcoholics Anonymous put it succinctly when they say that alcohol gives wings but then takes away the sky.
The other reason why alcohol is so closely related to alcohol is that this drug is a depressant. Drinking is usually associated with having a good time, but it can easily drive many into depression if they consume too much. This form of substance abuse does not only suck all the joy out of life, it can also mean the person is less able to cope with the misery; it can make suicide appear like an attractive option.
Alcoholism and Low Self-Esteem
It seems that Bradley Cooper began abusing alcohol because of his frustration at his stalled career. Drinking can appear to give a temporary lift to self-esteem, but it is actually an illusion. Substance abuse prevents the person from taking the actions that would help them improve their situation. Once addiction takes hold, the person ends up behaving increasingly badly, meaning they end up with even lower self-esteem. Using alcohol to deal with low self-esteem is like using laxatives to cure diarrhoea.
Bradley Cooper has been sober for almost a decade now. If he had continued drinking and using drugs, he might not even be alive now. He is a great example for anyone who is currently struggling with addiction and is worried that stopping would somehow prevent him or her from being successful in life. Bradley has done some amazing things since becoming sober, so there is no reason why others cannot follow his example.
