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Bradley Cooper Celebrates Ten Years Sober

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Bradley Cooper Celebrates Ten Years SoberBradley Cooper first started acting in the 90s, but he didn’t find success until he was cast as Phil Wenneck in the 2009 smash hit The Hangover. For a man who found his breakout role in a film about the wacky consequences after a night of drug and alcohol fueled debauchery, it may come as a surprise to learn that Cooper is a recovering alcoholic and drug addict. In his most recent interview with GQ magazine, Cooper opened up about getting sober. Although this is not the first time Cooper has discussed his struggles with addiction, his revelations about his darkest moments are harrowing, “If I continued it, I was really going to sabotage my whole life.” Now, in 2014, Cooper is about to celebrate double digits in his recovery: his 10th year of sobriety.

Process of overcoming addiction

It's important to take the time to celebrate an accomplishment like a sobriety anniversary, especially for those who have worked so hard towards their program of recovery. According to Dr. David Sack, addicts are often perfectionists and “view themselves as either a success or a failure, nothing in between.” Furthermore, as addiction recovery is a lifelong process, “the recovery addict must pause to acknowledge their accomplishments and celebrate their courage and willingness to keep trying even after a setback.” Whether choosing to celebrate five days sober, five weeks, five months, or five years, celebrating even the (seemingly) smallest of celebrations can help to ease the inner struggles of a recovering addict with the positive reinforcement of a recovery that is “good enough.”

But how does a recovering addict celebrate their sobriety without alcohol? As the Social Issues Research Centre notes, “Alcohol is universally associated with celebration, and drinking is, in all cultures, an essential element of festivity.” Like recovery, a sobriety celebration is completely dependent on the person. Some people may opt for a lavish party with friends while others may want to spend an afternoon keeping to themselves. Many A.A. groups organize annual sobriety celebrations for their members, cities will often organize walks to raise awareness of addiction and celebrate sobriety, and the United States government has declared September as National Recovery Month. Whether the celebration is big or small, the most important thing is to take the time to celebrate the accomplishment of sobriety. 

Bradley Cooper picks himself up

At the age of 29, Bradley Cooper hit rock bottom after a night of hard partying fueled by drugs and alcohol. Ten sober years later, he’s come to learn "the best thing I can do is embrace who I am and then do that to the fullest extent, and then whatever happens, happens.” Celebrating sobriety can go a long way in helping a recovering addict to rebuild their self esteem, learn to take life day by day, and accept their recovery progress.

If you or a loved one is battling a substance abuse problem, please contact The Addiction Recovery Center today: 1-888-510-2481. 




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