Hollywood star and top-selling talk show host Drew Barrymore has again proven herself to be a giant—not through acting, but by speaking candidly about her own issues.
In a recent letter published in her magazine, Drew, the 49-year-old actress, confessed that she’s been leading a life of sobriety, self-redemption, and healing behind closed doors.
Barrymore, raised in the spotlight, has never been afraid to discuss her problematic past. She has spoken openly throughout the years about her child star celebrity, rehab stays, and struggles with mental illness. But here, her story goes a more placid, more mature route.
She explains letting go of booze wasn’t something she did for the attention—something she did for herself.
“Something that I knew just no longer fit for me,” she wrote.
Beer, which made so many feel content, had become a weight. Rather than comforting her, it was causing more turmoil.
Drew spoke of getting herself into a vicious cycle—one she knew she needed to break for the health of her own well-being, her career, and, most importantly, her two girls, Olive and Frankie.
She stated that it wasn’t simple to decide to step down, but she knew she had to. And rather than announcing it to the public, she opted to heal quietly and by herself.
“I didn’t want to notify people first,” she said. “I just wanted to do it and see if I could.”
As years began to accumulate over months, Barrymore began crafting a new existence—one with equilibrium, calm, and greater clearness. She explained how remaining sober has made her more emotionally present, particularly for her kids.
“There were demons,” she wrote, “but now there is so much peace. And finally, there’s room to breathe.”
Drew also utilized her own experience as a message to others, particularly to those who are waging their own battles. She described the difficulty of giving up a bad habit—but also of how life-changing it is once you do so.
Her words were powerful and moving:
“Doing one of the bravest things you can do is to slay those dragons and to break at long last an atrocious cycle into which you have managed to trap yourself.”
On her talk show and magazine, today Barrymore is all about self-love, emotional honesty, and wellness.
She’d like people to be having real conversations about what they’re really going through—because pretending to be perfect doesn’t benefit anyone.
In telling her own story, Drew is encouraging people to be gentle with themselves, to be comfortable with where they are, and to know that change can occur—regardless of how broken they feel.
She concluded her letter on a positive and loving note:
“I want people to know they’re not alone. You can change. You can heal. You can live a full, beautiful life, no matter where you start.”
