Zac Efron Sports Sobriety Chip at Lakers Game
January 29, 2014

Former Disney star and heartthrob Zac Efron had a rocky 2013. In September, TMZ reported that the 26-year-old celebrity had completed two stints in rehab earlier in the year. Although it was originally published that Efron was battling an addiction to alcohol, other reports later revealed that he was actually admitted for cocaine addiction. TMZ mentioned that the actor’s drug abuse was “common knowledge” and that he was “also into Molly,” a form of the club drug ecstasy.

Aside from his rehab woes, Zac also was the subject of a bizarre 2013 story about a slip-and-fall accident that left him with a severe face injury that required him to have his jaw wired. Though naturally many questioned if there was more to the incident than a simple stumble, both he and his reps kept their mouths shut on the issue. (Zac and pals Miles Teller and Michael B. Jordan did release a short video making light of the accident in December.)  

A quiet rehab for Zac Efron

Unlike many of his young celebrity peers, including the likes of Demi Lovato Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Bynes and others, Zac Efron completed his rehabilitation quietly. Efron and his publicity team kept things so well under wraps that news of his rehab stays didn’t surface until several months after he’d completed his programs.

Still, the fact that he made a second round of rehab is a sharp reminder of how easily relapses can happen. In fact, according to drugabuse.org, as much as 40% to 60% of patients with addictions experience relapse at some point during their recovery.

A new sober life

As Zac faced the holidays and the New Year – typically a very trying time for people in recovery – it seemed he was doing well with his sobriety. On December 20, he was spotted in Los Angeles, cheering on the L.A. Lakers with a blue chip necklace in tow. The blue chip is a milestone token for those in recovery; it symbolizes six months of sobriety.

Living with addiction

Zac Efron addressed his addiction in 2013, and stayed true to his sober goals even in spite of a relapse early on. In an industry where drugs and alcohol not only abound, but are even sometimes glorified as part of Hollywood culture, Zac’s commitment to clean living could be considered admirable.

If it’s time for you to face your own addiction, or to help a loved one get the help they need, please contact The Addiction Recovery Center: 1-888-510-2481.