Dax Shepard reveals he is sober again after relapsing with painkillers

Actor says he is now 11 days sober

Dax Shepard has revealed he is sober again after he recently relapsed and began taking opioids.

The actor opened up about his sobriety journey in a new episode of his podcast Armchair Expert, where he revealed that  there have been numerous points over the past 16 years where he has struggled with addiction.

According to Shepard, his first relapse occurred eight years into being sober, when his father was dying.

"Eight years into sobriety, I had not done a single shady thing," he said. "I hadn't done anything gray."

Acknowledging that he had suffered a motorcycle accident around the same time, Shepard revealed that while visiting his father, he took Percocets.

“You know, we had so little in common and so much f***ing friction," Shepard recalled. "But the number one thing we had in common was we were both f***ing addicts and we had never used anything together. And we sat there stoned and looked at the lake. And in that moment, I felt elation and I was just happy."

According to the Parenthood actor, at the time he reached out to Alcoholics Anonymous on the guidance of his wife, Kristen Bell.

“So that was eight years ago,” he explained. “And now I have this experience where I did that, I felt bad, but there wasn’t really any fallout from it.”

The 45-year-old then went on to recount other instances where he relapsed, including after he got hurt again, at which point he was saving his painkillers - which were administered by his wife - to take when he wanted.  

"That cycle happens maybe three or four more times," he recalled. "I feel shady, but I don't feel like this is a problem. I didn't desire more when the thing was over."

According to Shepard, subsequent injuries lead to more relapses, with the actor explaining that he sometimes felt “entitled” to the opioids.

"I go ride a lot," he explained. "After I ride sometimes on the track, I feel I'm entitled to take two Vicodin at the end of the day because I am in pain. That again doesn't feel that crazy."

The actor then explained that after his most recent ATV injuries, which occurred about six months ago and involved his hand and shoulder, he began getting “shadier and shadier”.

"And I've not ever yet bought them," he said. "And then I do...For the last eight weeks maybe, I don't know…I'm on them all day. I'm allowed to be on them at some dosage because I have a prescription. And then I'm also augmenting that. And then all the prescriptions run out and I'm now just taking 30 mil Oxys that I've bought whenever I decide I can do [it]."

According to Shepard, he justified the pills because he was still continuing to manage his day-to-day responsibilities, such as recording his podcast and doing the dishes.

However, he said he began lying when his co-host Monica Padman asked him what he was taking - at which point he said he knew he had to quit but his “tolerance was going up so quickly” and he was worried about going through withdrawal.

"But my tolerance is going up so quickly that I'm now in a situation where I'm taking, you know, eight 30s a day, and I know that's an amount that's going to result in a pretty bad withdrawal. And I start getting really scared, and I'm starting to feel really lonely. And I just have this enormous secret,” he revealed.

Shepard eventually admitted to the relapse, telling both Padman and Bell and asking them for help. He also acknowledged how difficult it was to do, and how being known  publicly as being 16 years sober made it even harder.

He said he also struggled to “come clean publicly” because he was worried how it would impact Bell.  

“Kristen doesn’t deserve for the next six months for every f***ing interview she does to be: 'Oh, Dax relapsed,'" he said. "It doesn’t feel fair to anyone - it’s not. I’m sorry and embarrassed that I’ve put other people in this situation."

The actor concluded the podcast apologising for lying to Padman and everyone else in his life.

“Onward and upward,” he added.

In the episode, recorded Monday, the father-of-two said he is seven days sober. On Friday, when the episode aired, he celebrated being 11 days sober on Instagram.

“An episode I hoped I'd never have to record, but one I felt I owed to all the beautiful Armcheries who have been on this ride with me for the last couple years. This was Monday, say today is 11,” he wrote.

The actor’s admission comes after Bell and the couple’s children previously celebrated Shepard’s sobriety birthday earlier this month.

Following Shepard’s confession, hundreds of fans expressed their support for his honesty and his continued sobriety journey.

“This is so brave. Whether he realises it or not - especially with this setback and admission, Dax continues to help others understand they’re not alone and it’s okay to ask for help. Keep going, @daxshepard!” one person wrote.

Another said: “@daxshepard your honesty is why us Armcherries love you. We support you and stand behind you 100 per cent.”