Before and after drugs: Did you know that nearly 2.5 million people in the United States struggle with drug addiction (and that doesn’t even include alcohol)? It’s also estimated that around 10 percent of those struggling with addiction actually receive treatment, which leaves 90 percent of addicts to self-medicate and self-treat in far less successful ways. Although terrifying, addiction is very common in society as people become addicted to drugs and alcohol for a variety of reasons claiming everything from tragic childhoods and unhealthy relationships to high-pressure careers and bad habits as the cause.
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Whatever the reason, addiction doesn’t discriminate when it comes to victims as even some of the world’s biggest and most successful celebrities have been affected.
From child stars and musicians to A-list actors and former heartthrobs, we uncovered celebrities whose addictions created a downward spiral from the highest point of their careers down a dark path filled with drugs and alcohol. Are you curious as to who they are, what happened and where they are now? Take a look at these 18 shocking photos of celebs before and after drugs as we start our list with a child piano prodigy and end with the youngest voice of soul.
18. DMX
Born in New York in 1970, Earl Simmons is better known by his stage name DMX after launching his career as a beatboxer in 1988.
Recording his first demos and releasing his first singles a few years later, DMX stormed onto the scene by 1999 with the release of his solo album And Then There Was X featuring the hit single “Party Up (Up In Here).” Since then, he has expanded his talents as an actor with films like Romeo Must Die, Exit Wounds and Cradle 2 the Grave.
Much like Doherty, the 45-year-old DMX has a long list of problems that stem from his lifelong drug habit. With his first noted run-ins with the law occurring in 1998, DMX has spent the last 17 years in and out of jail for crimes including everything from reckless driving and assault to drug possession and animal cruelty. Incarcerated three times in 2010 and arrested four more times in 2013, DMX has obviously not learned his lesson because, as of December 2015, a warrant was out for his arrest after being sentenced to six months in jail for failure to pay child support. With 12 children, let’s hope they have a better role model than DMX.
17. Dennis Rodman
The NBA’s favorite bad boy complete with wild hair colors, tattoos and body piercings, Dennis “The Worm” Rodman made a name for himself on the court as one of the best rebounding forwards in NBA history.
Playing for teams like the Pistons, Spurs, Bulls, Lakers and Mavericks, Rodman’s defensive abilities led him to five NBA Championships, seven All-Defensive First Team honors and two NBA Defensive Player of the Year Awards.
Retiring from basketball in 2006, Rodman’s drug and alcohol addiction were publicized after he entered rehab in May 2008.
A year later, his problems escalated even further on national television when family and friends staged an intervention as he filmed Celebrity Apprentice. Finally agreeing to work with Dr. Drew on Celebrity Rehab, Rodman’s path to sobriety was short-lived. By January 2014, Rodman entered rehab once again after a highly publicized trip to North Korea during which his agent confirmed he had been drinking more than ever before.