Drew Barrymore reveals she has been sober for more than two years

The actor says sobriety makes her feel strong and empowered

Drew Barrymore at the 2021 CFDA Fashion Awards (Getty Images)

Drew Barrymore has revealed that she has been sober for more than two years, after realising that alcohol did not “serve her” or her life.

The actor opened up about her sobriety during an interview on CBS Mornings, telling hosts that quitting alcohol gave her a feeling of “empowerment”.

She said she had been “stuck in a pattern” and feeling like she was “not capable of change”.

“And when you break that cycle, the empowerment that comes out of it and says, ‘I’m not weak, I’m actually strong’, I’ve proven to myself that I’m capable of change,” Barrymore said.

The 46-year-old, who also has her own chat show named The Drew Barrymore Show, said she has refrained from speaking about her sobriety because it was a “quiet, confident journey”.

“I just wanted to go about this with no profession, no public anything,” Barrymore said.

“And now it’s been long enough where I’m in a lifestyle which I know is really working on a high road for my little journey. There’s so much peace finally being had where there were demons.”

She also discussed unrealistic expectations set by social media, adding that she thinks there could soon be a “revolt against the perfection”.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if there is a revolt against the perfection right now that we are all forced to see and feel through social media,” Drew explained.

“We’re in an impasse and a crux of a moment, we’re talking about how we figure ourselves out, how we fix ourselves takes a journey and solutions,” she said.

Barrymore has previously spoken about her struggles with her mental health on her show. In September, she visited the mental health institution where she was admitted as a teenager.

The actor underwent treatment for alcohol and drug addiction when she was 13 years old.

“I was a real wild child and I just got so out of control that no one knew what to do with me,” Barrymore told viewers.

“They drove me here in the middle of the night and they walked me through those two doors and when you go through those two doors you do not come out. And I was there for a year and a half.”