STRENGTH AND BEAUTY –

March 10, 2021 – Talking about her struggles with addiction isn’t new for Kristen Johnston, but the “3rd Rock from the Sun” actor is now approaching 14 years of sobriety and is sharing some of the hard lessons she’s learned along the way. In a new interview with journalist Elizabeth Vargas on her “Heart of the Matter” podcast, the 53-year-old reflected on what it was like to be a “functioning alcoholic/addict” early on in her career.

“Just thinking about that time in my life, it gives me chills,” she said.The actor described her addiction as an “off-and-on relationship” and said it worsened after she wrapped the hit series in 2001. “Certainly I struggled with it on that show but not to the extent where I missed stuff or was high during the show taping. So I was able to keep a lid on it for a couple of years and then we became married (me and my opiates) a couple years after ‘3rd Rock’ and it was a very abusive relationship,” she said.  Johnston, whose sister died in August 2020 after battling addiction, said it was challenging to watch her sister struggle while she, herself, was in recovery.  “It was just a very painful thing for my family,” she said. “So I connect to (the loved ones) of addicts and the addict because I’ve been both. I really understand how painful it is to love an addict. I don’t know which one is a greater hell.” The actor admitted that it took a lot of time, energy and money to keep up her addiction and said she’s relieved that she found the strength to seek out help when she did.  “The thing I’m happiest about in my life is that I’m no longer using,” she said.

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