Addiction Among Athletes: The Hidden Struggle and Triumph of Sober Stars

January 10, 2024

In the world of sports, athletes are celebrated for their physical prowess, technique, and indomitable spirit. However, beneath the surface of their impressive performances, many athletes grapple with a hidden adversary: addiction. While society often sees them as invincible, they are no less susceptible to the struggles of substance misuse than anyone else12.

The Athlete’s Paradox: Performance and Pressure

Performance-enhancing drugs have continued to evolve, driven by ‘advancements’ in doping strategies and improved drug testing detection methods1. Commonly used substances among elite athletes include alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, stimulants, and prescription opioids3.

The intense pressure to perform, coupled with the physical toll of training and competition, can lead some athletes to seek solace in mood-altering substances4. While some may believe they’re immune to the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse, the reality is that the burden of constant training, performance expectations, and public scrutiny can compound these risks5.

The Road to Recovery

The journey to sobriety for an athlete battling addiction can be a challenging one. Family therapy often plays a crucial role in recovery from mental illness or substance abuse6. Organizations like SAMHSA offer national helplines for individuals seeking help6.

Many famous athletes from nearly every sport have fought public battles with different types of substance use disorders7. Despite the challenges, numerous athletes have successfully navigated the path to recovery, serving as inspiring examples for others.

Sober Stars: Athletes Who Triumphed Over Addiction

Here are 10 athletes who’ve overcome addiction, reshaping their lives and careers while inspiring others with their stories of sobriety:

  1. Josh Hamilton (MLB) After years of struggles with both drugs and alcohol, Josh continues to remain sober, however legal issues have kept him out of baseball for good.

  1. Michael Phelps (Swimming) Sober since 2008, 22 time Olympic gold medalist swimmer. As the world watched in awe of Michael’s athletic ability and exceptional swimming performance, many people did not know the internal struggles with drug and alcohol abuse that Michael was facing.

  1. Ryan Leaf (NFL) Sober for nine years, Ryans addiction cost him a promising career in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers. However, his sobriety has led him to become a leader in the Recovery Community as a program ambassador in several cities across the nation. He has also made a name for himself as a college football analyst on TV and radio.

  2. Oscar De La Hoya (Boxing) De La Hoya has been fighting for sobriety since 2011, finally coming to terms with the behavioral health aspects at 50 in 2023.

  1. Brett Favre (NFL) Favre has exclaimed that his drug use began in 1994 after suffering a separated shoulder injury and was provided with a pain shot during halftime and after the game was given Vicodin to treat the pain and instantly enjoyed the effects produced opening the doors to a prescription painkiller addiction.

  1.   Darren Waller (NFL) Sober Since Aug 2018, Darren Waller struggled with drugs and   alcohol while playing college football and was forced to attend outpatient rehabs. He admits he used to cheat on his drug tests to get by. “I was getting high, literally, every day. Whatever I could get my hands on.” Max Crosby his teammate is credited with helping him in recovery.

  1. Max Crosby (NFL) Sober since 2020, Maxx Crosby claims to have struggled with alcohol addiction during his high school and college football careers. It eventually carried over into his NFL career, until he made a decision following the 2020 season that he wanted to get help. Max is an outspoken leader of sobriety in the NFL.

  2. Rey Maualuga (NFL) Sober since January 2010. In January 2010, Maualuga, 27, was charged with a DUI after smashing his car into two other parked cars and a parking meter. The former Cincinnati Bengals player shared that his alcoholism affected his life. However, no matter how addicted he was before, he was still able to keep his promise to finally make his body alcohol-free following rehab.

  3. Erin Henderson (NFL) Sober since 2014, the Chargers football player who admitted to having an alcohol addiction noted that his two arrests were a blessing in disguise for his decision to be reformed. While he shared that he used marijuana as well, it was really alcohol that somehow ruined his life. He was thankful to his fellow Vikings players (the team he was with), though, for not leaving his side amid the controversies he got embroiled into.

  4. Abby Wambach (USWNT) Sober since Apr 2017, Abby Wambach is an American retired professional soccer player, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and FIFA World Cup Champion. In 2019, her impressive skills even earned her a spot in the National Soccer Hall of Fame. But her story hasn’t always been sunshine and victories. For many years, she also struggled with an addiction to prescription drugs and alcohol. And in early 2016, she was arrested for driving under the influence. “That night getting arrested was one of the best things that has ever happened to me. Because if I don’t get so publicly shamed and publicly humiliated, I don’t think I wake up.“

Their stories remind us that despite the challenges, recovery is possible and that even in the face of adversity, athletes can reclaim their lives and continue to inspire on and off the field.

Footnotes

SOBER SPORTS: Welcome to Sober Sports with Ryan Burg and Phillip Vitela! Sober Sports is our section of the site that is dedicated to promoting sobriety and wellness through sports and fitness. The section features articles, interviews, and personal stories from athletes and fitness enthusiasts who are committed to living a healthier, alcohol-free lifestyle. By highlighting the benefits of sober living and the role that sports and fitness can play in achieving and maintaining sobriety, Sober Sports is changing the way we think about wellness and encouraging a more positive and empowering approach to recovery.

SOBER ENTERTAINMENT: Let us entertain you! Here you’ll find a curated selection of podcasts, TV series & movies, events, and music with the underlying theme of addiction. We’re sober, not boring! We’re covering it if it’s trending in pop culture and relates to sobriety. Our taste is eclectic, and our reviews are honest. Check out the sober entertainment you never knew you needed until now.

ENTERTAINMENT SECTIONS:

#QUITLIT Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. #QUITLIT is our curated list of addiction and recovery book reviews. All Sober Curators should be well-read, from addiction and recovery memoirs to fiction and self-help.

ADDICTION FICTION Addiction fiction is a burgeoning genre that delves into the gritty reality of substance abuse and its impact on individuals and relationships, uniquely spotlighting personal growth, redemption, and the road to recovery. These narratives offer compelling, relatable messages through their exploration of addiction and recovery themes.

MOVIE NIGHT WITH THE SOBER CURATOR brings you the movies we love that also carry the underlying story of addiction, recovery, and mental illness.

THE MINDFUL BINGE features TV series where addiction and recovery are part of the main storyline.

PLAY IT AGAIN is jamming with music selections representing some part of our journeys and giving us all the feels.

RECOVER MIXTAPES Coming Soon!

SOBER SPORTS is our section of the site that is dedicated to promoting sobriety and wellness through sports and fitness. The section features articles, interviews, and personal stories from athletes and fitness enthusiasts who are committed to living a healthier, alcohol-free lifestyle.

RECOVERY PODCASTLAND is your one-stop shop to check out all recovery-based podcasts we’ve been curating.

If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties surrounding alcoholism, addiction, or mental illness, please reach out and ask for help. People everywhere can and want to help; you just have to know where to look. And continue to look until you find what works for you. Click here for a list of regional and national resources.

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