Dax Shepard Courageously Admits Relapsing after Going Clean for 16 Years; Here’s What We Should Learn
Since the early 2000’s, the media seems to have no shortage of Dax Shepard’s graceful presence. From TV series, to reality shows, to full-length films, to screenplays, and recently to podcasts, Shepard has graced all the platforms with his excellent performance making him a popular comedic actor to this day. But we’re not here to talk about popularity — rather we’re here to know the actor more than what meets the eye. This is the story of Dax Shepard, his past encounter with drugs, his recent relapse, and everything in between that reveals the harsh truths about substance abuse.
On Family, Wheels, and Improv: Shepard’s Early Life
Shepard’s life before the limelight was spent mostly in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan, although should you ask the man himself he would say he grew up in Milford. His unique, catchy name was inspired by a character in Harold Robbins’ The Adventurers, Diogenes Alejandro Xenos. D.A.X
His childhood, interestingly, had been closely associated with automotives. Born to parents David Robert Shepard Sr, a car salesman, and Laura LaBo, an employee of General Motors (GM), it is not surprising how Shepard grew up with a liking for automotives. As early as ages 14 to 18, Shepard has been exposed to the industry, seeing his mom rise in the ranks from a being humble janitor, to working in the Milford proving grounds in the fleet management, to hosting events for the GM family members, to being a PR person at an ad agency, and finally, up to being a 4-shop owner of GM handling its publicity affairs. This was soon followed by Shepard’s eventual employment under his mother, assisting her in racetrack after racetrack. To further add to the automotive background, Shepard also had a stepfather who was an engineer for Corvette. It’s no wonder why the actor, several years later, included motorcycle racing at Buttonwillow Raceway on his list of his interests.
At the same time, Shepard was completing his primary studies at Walled Lake Central High School later on enrolling in The Groundlings School. He finally completed his education at UCLA — after initially studying at Santa Monica College and West Los Angeles College — where he graduated with the second highest latin honors, magna cum laude with a BA in Anthropology. It was also around this time when Shepard was introduced to improv as he discovered the The Groundlings improv troupe while in Santa Barbara. This is where he was introduced to big names including Melissa McCarthy, Fortune Feimster, Tate Taylor and Nat Faxon as they all belonged to the Sunday Company of The Groundlings.
From improv, Shepard would go on to land acting roles in film and television. It was all kickstarted by his performance in Punk’d, a hidden-cam type comedy reality show produced and hosted by Ashton Kutcher. Following its success, the Punk’d star would continue to add items to his filmography — Without a Paddle (2004), Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005), Employee of the Month (2006), and Idiocracy (2006). His starring roles, however, would come a few years later, headlining in Let’s Go to Prison (2006), Baby Mama (2018), Brothers’ Justice (2012) and Hit and Run (2012).
In his supporting role in When in Rome, he would star alongside his soon-to-be wife, the Frozen star Kristen Bell. Also hailing from Detroit, Bell and Shepard started dating in 2007, having met during a party of a friend’s birthday they both attended. Adorably enough, in 2013, Bell proposed to Shepard via a tweet in light of the deeming of Defense of Marriage Act Section 3 as unconstitutional.
Shepard gladly accepted and has been happily married for many years now, further including two daughters in the bunch.
Relapse & Recovery: Celebrating “Sobriety Birthday”
Unlike the genre he is most known for, Shepard’s life is not all fun and games. The actor has been outspoken about his history with substance abuse, even admitting that he “loved to get f***ed up” in a 2012 interview with Playboy.
“[I did] drinking, cocaine, opiates, marijuana, diet pills, pain pills, everything,” the Parenthood star revealed, “Mostly my love was Jack Daniel’s and cocaine.”
The substance abuse traced back as early as sophmore year in highschool which eventually led to the involvement of his mother and the mayor. At age 18 onwards, the actor would fall and fall deeper into the clutches of drugs and alcohol, even having himself banned from the Conan o’Brien show following an incident of “wreckage”.
“I went on ‘Conan’ and I had done the pre-interview in a blackout and I woke up to the hotel security shaking me awake, and I was with a stranger and the stranger had peed the bed, or I had peed the bed, someone had peed the bed,” Shepard recalls the 2004 episode in an interview with toofab.
The show was 20 minutes away from airing when a hotel security guard and a publicist forcefully woke him up.
“And I show up on the show, I don’t know what he’s talking about. I can tell he’s cueing me up for stories I’ve told but I don’t know any of the stories. So, I’m just doing what I can to be funny out there and I am a mess.”
Fortunately for the actor, aside from the chaotic interview and a broken coffee table, that would be the first and only career-destructive incident he would ever encounter as he decided to be clean during September of 2005.
In 2020, Shepard bravely admitted that after his 16-year streak of sobriety, he is once again battling with yet another tricky part of recovery — the relapse. The battle started shortly after intaking prescribed painkillers for his recent injuries, which gradually progressed into another addictive habit. Good for him, he was able to cut the build up right off the bat through “extreme humility”, coming clean to his wife, kids, and the public. He then attended AA meetings right away and has been right on track for 6 months going.
AA is not for everyone. Some people need that one on one focus that can only come from therapy. Reach out to someone today if you are struggling
It is not everyday that we get to see a former addict and alcoholic who transparently opens up his battles with addiction, that is why Shepard continues to be a beacon of hope for everyone who shares the same struggles. Fortunately for the actor, he was blessed with the right mindset and more than enough support system to rise above it, now paying it forward through his recent ventures — the Armchair Expert podcast and Hollenbeck Youth Center, where he dedicates most of his time.
Even after the relapse and, despite all odds, Dax is sober again. He recently celebrated his “sobriety birthday” together with his kids and wife, Kristen Bell, who left him heartfelt message:
“I’m so proud that you have never been ashamed of your story, but instead shared it widely, with the hope it might inspire someone else to become the best version of themselves.” Bell proudly said in a lengthy, emotional Instagram tribute.
“You have certainly inspired me to do so.”
Recovery is a long and difficult journey, but with enough understanding, patience, and encouragement from the right people, the journey could be more bearable. Make it a note to be a support system for someone. Or if you are struggling yourself reach out for support today
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