Profiles Of Addiction Recovery | Ben Affleck

Ben Affleck is famous for directing and acting in films like Armageddon, Pearl Harbor, Good Will Hunting, and Argo, for being the youngest ever Oscar winner for screenwriting at the age of 25, and for being one of many high-profile Hollywood celebs to openly struggle with substance abuse and addiction.

In fact, the ups and downs of Affleck’s recovery journey have been documented so widely that The Batman actor is often cited as a prime example of the difficulties faced by those who live with alcohol addiction.

Addiction Runs In Families

There are many risk factors that increase the likelihood that a person will develop an alcohol use disorder in their lifetime, including both genetic predispositions and long-lasting environmental effects.

In Ben Affleck’s case, three grandparents, an uncle, an aunt, and his brother all struggled with substance abuse or mental health issues. His father likewise had a severe problem with chronic, sustained alcohol abuse.

Things were so strained in his childhood home that Affleck, in 2012, recalled feeling only relief when his parents divorced when he was 11. His father would eventually spend two years homeless before entering a rehabilitation facility and, in time, serve as a rehab counselor.

Affleck’s Rehab & Relapses

While Affleck’s first time in rehab wouldn’t come until much later, at 15 he would be sent to a wilderness program to check his underage drinking. As a result, Affleck would maintain a stretch of sobriety in his 20s, even as his fame grew.

Eventually, however, Affleck would lower his guard, turning to alcohol in response to the pressures of Hollywood stardom and increasing marital problems. At times he was known to drink a bottle of scotch a day.

Multiple Rounds Of Rehab

Affleck would attend rehab multiple times, including a thirty-day treatment program in Malibu in 2001, another inpatient stay in 2017, and a third 40-day treatment in 2018 after his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner, held an intervention.

In a trending Instagram post published after completing his third round of rehab, Affleck would share that “battling any addiction is a lifelong and difficult struggle. Because of that, one is never really in or out of treatment.”

The Way Back

Unfortunately, Affleck would once again stumble in his recovery in late 2019, when he was spotted outside a UNICEF Masquerade Ball heavily intoxicated and stumbling, despite only recently celebrating one year of sobriety.

In the days that followed, Affleck was open about his struggles. 

The following year, in 2020, Affleck announced a starring role in The Way Back, a film centering on a construction worker recruited to coach basketball for his alma mater, all while struggling with severe alcoholism and trauma that threaten to destroy his relationships. 

Affleck, as well as his co-stars and producers, would go on to speak about the powerful, personal moments and emotional breakdowns that occurred through the filming, as Affleck’s performance draws on his own personal experiences, emotions, and behaviors as a recovering alcoholic.

Looking Forward, & Looking Back

As Affleck put it in a 2020 interview with the New York Times, “It took me a long time to fundamentally, deeply, without a hint of doubt, admit to myself that I am an alcoholic. The next drink will not be different.”

At age 50 and settled in with his newlywed second wife, Jennifer Lopez (the two appeared together in a 2023 Super Bowl commercial), Affleck has kept up his sobriety and committed to taking things one day at a time with the help of a 12-step program and his loved ones, especially his children Violet, Samuel, and Seraphina. 

Afflect plenty to look forward to, including filling the director’s chair for the upcoming Disney film Keeper of the Lost Cities.

In the same interview, Affleck shared thoughts about his father, and how the history of mental illness and alcoholism in his family is a difficult burden to live with. 

Recovery Is Possible

Ben Affleck’s story of recovery is one of hope in the face of darkness and despair. With professional help, recovery is possible for both individuals and families.

At Ark Behavioral Health, we’re proud to offer professional, evidence-based rehabilitation treatment for alcohol and drug addiction. Please reach out to our team to learn more or enroll today.