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Ben Affleck rehab: Star’s relapse offers yet another important reminder about addiction

Affleck’s relapse this summer comes just weeks after Demi Lovato’s reported overdose in July.
by David Dietz, Jennifer Martin and Craig Werner / Aug.24.2018 / 1:04 PM ET
This story originally appeared on NBC News. A link to the original story appears at the bottom of this article.

 On Wednesday, “Justice League” star Ben Affleck reportedly entered rehab for alcohol addiction. This is not Affleck’s first attempt to get clean. Indeed, the 46-year-old father of three has been public about his ongoing struggle with substance abuse, previously seeking treatment in 2001 and 2017.

Affleck is at least the second high-profile celebrity relapse this summer. Earlier this spring, pop star Demi Lovato tweeted: “Just officially turned 6 years sober. So grateful for another year of joy, health and happiness. It IS possible.” In June, she released her single “Sober,” which seemed to describe a relapse (“We’ve been down this road before/I’m so sorry, I’m not sober anymore”) — a few weeks later, she was hospitalized after a suspected overdose.

Lovato eventually canceled the rest of her tour performances and released a statement emphasizing the long-term nature of addiction. “What I’ve learned is that this illness is not something that disappears or fades with time,” she told followers on Instagram. “It is something I must continue to overcome and have not done yet.”

It was a strikingly similar statement to one Affleck posted on Facebook last year: “I have completed treatment for alcohol addiction; something I’ve dealt with in the past and will continue to confront. I want to live life to the fullest and be the best father I can be. I want my kids to know there is no shame in getting help when you need it, and to be a source of strength for anyone out there who needs help but is afraid to take the first step.”

It’s a problem that’s all too common. Substance use disorder (more commonly known as “drug addiction”) is a never-ending battle. No matter the substance that is being abused, there is no shortcut or magic cure.

Read more here https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/ben-affleck-rehab-star-s-relapse-offers-yet-another-important-ncna903396

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