Is Dax Shepard sober?
Dax Shepard continues to speak openly about recovery after years of problems with alcohol and drugs. He first got sober in 2004, then disclosed a relapse involving prescription painkillers in 2020.
In September 2025, Kristen Bell marked 21 years since the beginning of Shepard’s sobriety journey. His story includes relapse as part of that history, which Shepard has discussed publicly rather than hiding it.
Thinking about your own drinking? Start with our guide to quitting drinking without willpower, or go straight to the Stop Drinking Expert programme if you are ready to make a change.
Dax Shepard’s recovery timeline
- Before 2004: Alcohol, cocaine and other drugs are part of a destructive pattern.
- 2004: Shepard begins recovery and starts attending AA.
- 2020: Prescription painkillers after injuries develop into a relapse that he initially hides.
- September 2020: He publicly discloses the relapse on Armchair Expert.
- After relapse: Shepard returns to recovery and continues speaking openly about what happened.
The relapse is what makes Shepard’s story more useful than a simple anniversary count. Sixteen years of recovery did not remove risk, especially when prescription opioids entered the picture after an injury. He has described secrecy as one of the warning signs that things had changed. Telling his family and podcast co-host what was happening became part of returning to recovery rather than allowing one setback to undo everything that came before it.
Alcohol and drugs before recovery
Shepard has described heavy use of alcohol and cocaine before getting sober. He has also talked about using opiates and other substances during that period. Some of his stories from those years involve blackouts and behaviour that affected his work.
He reached a point in 2004 where he committed to recovery and began attending Alcoholics Anonymous. That date became the starting point for the sobriety anniversary his family still recognises.
The 2020 relapse
After 16 years in recovery, Shepard was injured and prescribed pain medication. He later admitted that his use of the medication had become dishonest and that he was buying pills outside his prescription.
He disclosed the relapse on Armchair Expert in September 2020. Shepard said he had hidden parts of what was happening from the people around him before eventually telling his wife and podcast co-host.
Why he talks about relapse publicly
Shepard has continued to discuss addiction with unusual openness. He has also spoken about explaining recovery to his children and why he attends AA meetings.
The useful part of his story is the way he treated relapse as a reason to return to recovery rather than a reason to abandon it. Long periods without alcohol or drugs do not make someone immune from future problems.
Recovery after relapse
Shepard’s experience shows that recovery can continue after a setback. His family still publicly celebrates the date his recovery began, while Shepard remains open about the fact that the journey included a relapse.
If his story has made you think about your own drinking, read our guide to quitting without willpower or how to quit drinking without AA.
Want to read more recovery stories? Browse our celebrity sobriety stories hub for more famous people who have spoken about alcohol, drugs, relapse and recovery.
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