Drew Barrymore, of Sagaponack, Reveals Impetus for Getting Sober

Drew Barrymore, of Sagaponack, Reveals Impetus for Getting Sober

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial star Drew Barrymore, who has made no secret about her problems with alcoholism and other abuse of substances since she was young, says her becoming a daytime talk show host was the impetus for her to stop drinking.

Her alcoholism worsened after her divorce in 2016, causing her therapist to drop her as a patient because she continued to drink, according to Newsday.

“He just said, ‘ I can’t do it anymore,” the Sagaponack resident told the Los Angeles Times of celebrity psychotherapist Barry Michels. “It was really about my drinking. I said, ‘I get it. I’ve never respected you more. You see I’m not getting better. And I hope, one day, that I can earn your trust back.'”

Two years later, the actress did just that, and Michels welcomed her back to therapy. Barrymore acknowledged in the interview that the chance to host her own syndicated talk show, which premiered in 2020, “really hit me” in terms of getting sober and becoming responsible.

She said, “I was like, ‘I can’t handle this unless I’m in a really clear place.'”