Charlie Sheen’s ex-wife, Brooke Mueller, admitted that she continues to relapse after more than two decades of struggling to overcome drug addiction.
The 47-year-old actress who shares to sons with Sheen spoke candidly about her ongoing battle in an interview with People published March 25 and explained the impact her addiction issues have had on her entire family.
“The sad reality is they get used to it — Mommy is going to relapse again one day,” Mueller told the publication.
The actress said she was sober for six years before relapsing in the summer of 2023 and now considers herself a “stage four” addict. “When we’re at stage four, it typically means that cycle where you just have these relapses, no matter how well you get, and no matter how many years, it’s just a matter of time,” she said.
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – NOVEMBER 21: Brooke Mueller arrives at the 12th Annual Lupus LA Hollywood Bag Ladies Luncheon at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on November 21, 2014 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Valerie Macon/Getty Images)
Mueller said she is aware of her substance abuse and how it affects her daily life.
“I want to be honest about it, because if I try to sugarcoat it, I’d be lying to myself,” she told People.
She expressed her desire to overcome her addiction issues but said it wasn’t a simple feat.
“The darkness and the shame as we get older, that sticks with us even more because we have more evidence of pain that we’ve caused others and ourselves,” Mueller said.
“It’s sad for us because we don’t want this, nobody would want this. And so there’s got to be a mental health component to it, where our suffering sometimes gets so strong that we literally — our brain tricks us and rationalizes why this time it’s okay.”
LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 05: Brooke Mueller attends the 9th Annual Butterfly Ball on June 5, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
She admitted to another “slip” following her 2023 relapse.
“I convinced myself that I need[ed] ADD medication,” she told People. She acknowledged that she does face symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder but is aware that she shouldn’t be taking any drugs that could become a habit.
“I somehow find these excuses, and I genuinely believe them, where I’ll justify and rationalize why I need a prescription for Adderall,” she told People.
“The last relapse I had was on something that can be abused, and the bottle is gone in a day and a half.”
Mueller confessed to her unhealthy choices.
LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 10: Actress Brooke Mueller arrives at Comedy Central’s Roast of Charlie Sheen held at Sony Studios on September 10, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic) Getty Images
“In some ways, I guess I’m lucky, but I wouldn’t say living a life like this is any sort of great life. I’m not talking about now, but imagine you build up everything back. You finally gained the trust and the respect, and the kids are being dropped off in your care and then constantly throwing it all away, not even knowing why or how because you weren’t planning on it,” she said.
Mueller said that despite Sheen’s own issues with addiction, “He’s always there to help me and pick up the pieces.” (RELATED: ‘Heroin And A Face Mask’: Reality Star Shares Bizarre Definition Of ‘Sobriety’ In Hollywood)
“But if I look back at our marriage, he was always one that could shut it off and turn it off and go to sleep, and I would be taking the car sneaking out to Skid Row,” she told the publication.
