Craig Conover's Heart-Wrenching Confession About His Alcohol Addiction

Craig Conover is revealing the “aha” moment he realized he needed to quit drinking.

After keeping his struggle with alcohol addiction hidden for a long time, Austen Kroll’s friend and fellow Southern Charm star confided in him about it. During the March 13th episode of the show, he shared with his girlfriend, Paige DeSorbo, the transformative conversation they had about his recent commitment to living sober.

Craig confronted the Summer House star by saying, “What you’re essentially suggesting is absurd – ‘You’re giving up drugs to maintain an image.'” However, Craig eventually clarified, “I’m actually getting sober because I’m an addict.” Remarkably, the next day after this conversation, Austen offered, “Can I get you a soda water?” It seems something shifted for him. But honestly, it’s hard to believe we reached that point.

As an ardent admirer, I found Austen’s initial response to Craig tidying up his life quite peculiar. If one of my pals confided, “I’m giving sobriety a shot for a few months,” I’d respond with genuine approval, something like, “That’s awesome!

Yet, Craig acknowledged that he was gradually growing accustomed to disclosing his struggle with addiction to the public eye.

In a moment of raw vulnerability, I found myself shedding tears as I admitted my struggles with addiction. It’s an experience that leaves one feeling incredibly fragile and exposed. Until that moment, I had only shared this burden with you and my parents. It was a significant stride towards healing and rebuilding our relationship.

Plus, Paige added, “Because he acted the way a friend should.”

Inside the confession booth, Craig explained the reasons behind his delayed disclosure to his co-star about his healing process.

The 36-year-old shared that they hail from a lineage where alcohol abuse is prevalent. When someone decides to abstain from drinking in my presence, I can typically discern the motivation. However, it seems that Austen wasn’t aware of this. Moreover, I didn’t openly discuss this matter because I prefer not to disclose it. I believe it makes others uneasy.

At Craig’s residence, Paige opened up about her struggles with alcohol abuse in the past, emphasizing that addiction isn’t always straightforward as it can manifest in various ways.

The 32-year-old mentioned that they didn’t feel the need to have a drink every morning as if their body would react negatively. However, when they did drink, their behavior was significantly altered from their usual demeanor.

Following a quick sequence showing various occasions where Craig behaved unusually while intoxicated, he confessed, “I had cycles. I’d be fine for a few months, but then I’d overstep the mark.

For the very first time, the pillow designer openly discussed a pivotal moment in his struggle with alcohol addiction.

In a confessional, Craig expressed that he realized his mistakes when he saw the disappointment in Paige’s eyes, who had ended their relationship of three years in November. He continued by saying that she made it clear she didn’t see him as the man she wanted to marry, and it took almost losing her for him to change his ways. Craig went on to say that Paige was his rock, and while you can’t change your drinking habits for someone else, she is always the first thing he thinks of when he opens his app. He concluded by asking himself why he continues to make an effort, if he ever forgets his reason – which is simply ‘Paige’.

After Paige shared with her former partner, “I held back so often on expressing myself as this was my own path,” he responded, “I consider myself quite fortunate that you stayed by my side when I chose to seek assistance, and you were prepared to help.

He expressed his gratitude for never having lost you during his lowest point, and assuredly, he has no intention of returning to that place.

Join Craig as he unfolds his story every Thursday at 8 p.m., when Southern Charm airs on Bravo. Additionally, delve deeper into the lives of other celebrities who’ve shared their struggles and triumphs with addiction and recovery.

The Valley star shared his decades-long battle with drugs in March 2025 after going to rehab.

During the March 4 edition of Bravo’s Hot Mic podcast, Jax admitted, “I struggle with addiction, mainly to cocaine. It’s tough to verbalize this truth.

He mentioned, “I’ve had periods of grappling with this issue, off and on, since I turned 23. Now that I’m 45, I can say that there have been phases when I wouldn’t engage in it at all, but there were also stretches where I became quite involved.

Apart from quitting cocaine, Jax has also stopped consuming alcohol. He stated, “I don’t believe I have an alcohol problem per se, but they often go together. I can’t use cocaine without drinking as well. Therefore, I decided to give up both. I am proud to announce that I have been sober for 82, 83 days now, which is the longest stretch without either substance in my entire life.

In 2022, the star of the movie “Spider-Man: No Way Home” decided to give up alcohol, as he felt it had become a controlling force in his life. He openly admitted on the “On Purpose with Jay Shetty” podcast that he was addicted to alcohol and believed anyone who drinks every day may have a problem with dependency.

Then comes the instant when you find yourself thinking, “Oh, I wish I hadn’t had that final drink,” the actor went on. The following morning, you’re left with a throbbing headache.

After adopting a new lifestyle, Holland found that he sleeps more soundly and manages issues more effectively.

He revealed, “Issues that used to upset me on the film set, I was able to handle more calmly now.” He added, “My mental focus improved significantly. I felt more vigorous and in good health.

The lead actor from the “Hunt for Red October” movie seldom discusses his nearly four-decade-long struggle with sobriety.

During my recent podcast appearance in May 2024, I shared a personal aspect of my life that isn’t often the focus of our conversations. Occasionally, when it aligns with the context, I bring it up. Today, I want to speak about my journey: On February 23, 1985, I marked the beginning of my 39-year sobriety.

Discussing his life following his relocation from New York City to Los Angeles in 1983, Alec described a daily struggle with addiction for two years. He admitted that he used an enormous amount of cocaine, equivalent to what one might snort from Earth to Saturn. When he returned home, it was as if cocaine was just another cup of coffee; everyone was using it throughout the day.

And after quitting the drug, he soon turned to alcohol—only to also quit that dependency.

Today, he relies on the city around him.

In my own words, I find New York incredibly relaxing. Each time I roam its streets, there’s always something new to discover – like those intricate details on a building that I’ve overlooked before, such as the unique doors. My days often involve leisurely lunches and coffee breaks with friends.

Back in April 2024, the actress from The Princess Diaries announced that she has been over five years without alcohol. In an interview with The New York Times, she expressed that this achievement represents a significant milestone for her, saying, “It’s a moment I feel proud of.

Her thoughts were straightforwardly expressed. She confided, “I instinctively knew it wasn’t suitable for me,” she admitted. “It seemed so intense to have to say, ‘Absolutely not,’ but absolutely not. If you’re sensitive or have a severe reaction to something, you don’t debate it. So I stopped debating it.

She expressed her satisfaction with the choice she had made, adding, “I find that things have improved significantly for me since then.” In other words, she found that decision to be a positive catalyst, and she dislikes dwelling on negative feelings.

During her acceptance speech for the 2018 Woman of the Year Award at the Peggy Albrecht Friendly House, a shelter assisting women in overcoming addiction to substances and alcohol, Moore discussed the potentially career-ending “self-destructive course” she once found herself on.

In simpler terms, the individual shared that their life has been significantly influenced by pivotal moments, which molded both their identity and future trajectory. At the outset of their career, they found themselves on a self-destructive path, despite achieving success. Regardless of these accomplishments, they never felt content with themselves. They had an extremely low sense of self-worth, leading them down this destructive path which eventually led to a critical juncture in their life. The reason for this crisis wasn’t evident at the time, but they believe it might have been a divine intervention.

Moore expressed gratitude in 2012 to two individuals who were not well-acquainted with her, for presenting a sort of ultimatum that prompted her to change her life. In essence, she said, “If I’m still alive, I should show up,” and further explained that she was given an opportunity to alter the trajectory of her life before it crumbled completely.

Moore observed that others seemed to know me better than I knew myself. And I am incredibly thankful for this, as without their understanding and faith in me, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

In 2022, Cyrus revealed that she’s been recuperating from her Xanax dependency since 2020. She explained to Rolling Stone that the medication provided her with a sense of organization during a time when she desperately needed it because she didn’t want to simply languish and ruminate in her thoughts. “It offered me hope,” she added.

The singer commented, “When I believed I could momentarily mute the world and dull your sorrow, that’s when it ended.

She mentioned that her peers back then seemed to tacitly approve of her drug habit, and it evolved into a deep, endless abyss. However, during the pandemic, Cyrus acknowledged facing difficulties and feeling emotionally detached. “I kept dozing off and falling asleep,” she reminisced. “And I couldn’t maintain alertness or keep my eyes open because I had sunk so low.

She eventually sought help and noted that “it took some time to get on my own two feet.”

16 years had passed since the former cast member of “Parenthood” had abstained from alcohol, but in 2020, they resumed substance use after a motorcycle accident, this time consuming Vicodin.

For the past eight weeks or so, it’s been unclear… He confessed on his Armchair Expert podcast that he spends most of his day on them. He is authorized to use them at certain doses due to a prescription, but he also increases their potency.

He went on saying, “I despise it, yet I find myself deceiving others. I realize I need to stop, but my tolerance is escalating so rapidly that I’m now consuming around eight 30mg pills a day, which I know will lead to a severe withdrawal. This fear and loneliness are creeping in, and I carry this massive secret within me.

In the year 2018, the actress who starred in Halloween openly discussed her decade-long struggle with opiate addiction that started in the late ’80s following a cosmetic surgery to correct her genetic eye puffiness. This led to a prescription that significantly altered her life. “For ten years, I was stealing and deceiving,” she confided in People magazine. “Nobody knew. Nobody did.

In the summer of 1998, when Curtis’s sister came to visit and brought prescription painkillers for a rib injury, it was then that Curtis realized she had hit rock bottom. As she told the publication, tears streaming down her face, “I knew she had them in the guest room closet of our home.” Essentially, she confessed, she took all the opiates from her sister’s suitcase. Upon her sister’s departure, Curtis was aware that she would find her pills missing. She felt compelled to confess to her sister about what she had done, so she wrote a note and left it on her suitcase. When she returned home that day, her sister hugged her, expressing love and concern, and voicing her unwillingness to watch Curtis take her own life.

On February 3, 1999, she participated in her initial gathering, coincidentally the day she confided in her filmmaker spouse, Christopher Guest, about her personal battle. “He couldn’t believe it because he had never suspected,” Curtis stated, mentioning that she has remained sober since then.

In 2021, Barrymore publicly announced a significant achievement in her recovery journey. She stated on CBS Mornings, “For the first time in a long while, I’m sharing this: It’s been two and a half years since I last had a drink of alcohol. I’ve come to recognize that it was not beneficial for me in my life.

She commented, “It’s quite amusing. Uncovering ourselves, our secrets, and what we’ve tirelessly built up feels simultaneously freeing and exposing.

In a conversation with the Los Angeles Times, I shared that I refrain from using the term “sober” as I don’t wish to be perceived as some flawless Puritan. Instead, my journey is about balance and wellness in all aspects of life.

In the year 2023, I found myself repeatedly saying within me, ‘I’ll conquer this, I’ll solve it.’ However, it dawned on me at last: ‘Truth be told, I’ve never truly mastered this, and probably never will.’

During the 2000s, the actor from “A Star Is Born” faced battles with cocaine addiction. However, friend Will Arnett intervened, addressing his concerning actions directly.

During his 2022 interview on the Smartless podcast, Cooper shared that moment was when he first became aware of his struggle with substance abuse, an experience he would never forget.

Credit goes to Arnett for being the catalyst. Cooper then stated, “He bravely engaged in a tough discussion with me, which ultimately led me to consider altering the course of my life.

In simpler terms, the actor who played in Fight Club battled alcohol addiction for quite some time before being helped to overcome it by Cooper. He expressed his gratitude during the 2020 National Board of Review Annual Awards when Cooper presented him with an award, stating that every day has been happier since then due to Cooper’s assistance.

In September 2023, the former star of Cruel Intentions posted on Instagram that it had been the longest period since his teenage years when he hadn’t had any form of nicotine or cannabis in his body (along with other substances).

He expressed gratitude for the liberation achieved by overcoming addictions and no longer needing substances, stating, ‘Sobriety, clear-mindedness, and a deep sense of spiritual awareness really feel wonderful.’

Reflecting back on my six years of sobriety triumphantly marked during a tour in 2018, I left my audience spellbound once again, but this time it wasn’t due to my music. Later that year, I confessed my struggle by releasing the raw and honest single “Sober,” which disclosed my relapse.

Mom, I’m really sorry, but I’m not in control anymore. Dad, please forgive me for the mess on the floor from my drinks. To those who have always stood by me, I apologize; we’ve been here before, and I’m not in control right now.” She expressed this sentiment through her singing.

A month later, Lovato was hospitalized for a near-fatal overdose.

Two weeks ago, she posted on Instagram that she has been open about her struggles with addiction throughout her journey. She’s come to understand that this condition doesn’t simply vanish or weaken over time. Instead, it’s something she must continually work to conquer and hasn’t fully overcome yet…Right now, I need some time to mend and concentrate on my sobriety and path towards recovery. The support you’ve all shown me will never be forgotten, and I eagerly anticipate the day when I can say I have emerged victorious. I will keep battling.

In 2018, she spoke about her struggles with sexual and alcohol dependencies. “My addictions tend to shift. They move around,” she explained, adding that in her younger years, she suspected she might have had a hidden sexual addiction because she believed that sex could solve all her problems. She also discussed her realization that she had developed an alarming drinking issue.

She recalled hitting rock bottom when she was alone at home, with two bottles of wine already consumed and about to open a third, as she put it. It struck her, ‘Wait a minute. Here you are, alone in this house, reaching for your third bottle of wine? Maybe there’s an issue here that needs addressing.’

She explained, “I chose to quit abruptly, or ‘go cold turkey’. You see, I tend to immerse myself deeply in activities, and I need to be mindful of this tendency. I can easily become fixated on things. It’s not the action itself that matters, but the motivation behind it. Why are you engaging in this activity? If you enjoy having a lot of sexual encounters, that’s fine, but consider the reasons for your actions. That’s the crucial aspect to examine.

As a die-hard Backstreet Boys fan, I can’t help but share an intriguing behind-the-scenes tale. One of the band members, before filming the iconic “The Call” music video in 2000, experimented with drugs for the first time. Later on, during an interview with Good Morning America, he admitted that he was like a human pinball machine, bouncing off the walls, during the shoot. Remarkably, he managed to get clean in 2021 and experienced a multitude of positive changes within just a year. Among these transformations, he shed an impressive 32 pounds in merely seven months by giving up alcohol and fast food.

In September 2022, he shared with Today that excessive drinking led to a rise in his weight, but it also took a toll on his psychological well-being.

Following Mac Miller’s untimely demise, rapper Bow Wow (formerly Shad Moss) used Twitter to inform his followers about his past struggle with cough syrup addiction. He started a series of tweets saying, “To the youth – quit these foolish drugs.”

He confessed that during the recording of the album ‘FACE OFF’ with Omarion, he was addicted to lean (a type of cough syrup) and was high on it every day. This affected his behavior and attitude, causing his fans and family to turn against him. He never promoted lean in his songs, but during the UCP tour with Chris Brown, he consumed 4’s (a brand of cough syrup) at least 7 times a day. He was addicted until their show in Cincinnati, where he overdosed and was hospitalized due to withdrawal symptoms.

Bow Wow expressed that he had never felt such pain before. He was walking around with three hoodies on because he was cold from the withdrawal symptoms. He missed shows in Chicago and Baltimore due to his addiction. He urged everyone to quit this habit, stating, “Be a good son or daughter. Be the best you. I’ll start being more vocal. We need to save the youth from dying young. Parents, watch your kids. Explain to them. We want you to live, man.”

He revealed that he almost died due to syrup abuse and that his stomach issues persist to this day. He concluded by saying, “Drug-free is the way to be. Smarten up, tighten up out here. We can’t afford to lose any more of you. Not one! I love all of you. The young artists around the world… don’t follow a trend. Break the cycle. PEACE.

2018 saw Gwyneth Paltrow’s husband, Chris Martin, and the actress herself staging an intervention for Paltrow. This was triggered by an incident at Kate Hudson’s Halloween party where Paltrow, in a state of severe intoxication from alcohol and cocaine use, accidentally headbutted Orlando Bloom, causing herself to lose consciousness.

She shared with The Guardian, “I felt nothing could touch or fulfill me. One morning during those difficult times, I found myself contemplating, ‘Perhaps heroin might work now, since nothing else seems effective.’

Throughout the 1980s, an actor from The Parent Trap struggled with a cocaine addiction that eventually led him to rehab in 1990. He shared his story on Today, stating that he came of age during the ’60s and ’70s when the general perception towards this drug was significantly different.

In his 2018 confession, he acknowledged that he was using cocaine almost every day during the 1980s, and it was a regular part of some movie budgets. He admitted to frequent pleas to God for help in quitting, promising to never do it again if only God would take it away from him, yet he’d find himself saying, “It’s not so bad” around 4 PM, just hours before he had to go to work.

He shared an intense moment he called a ‘white light experience,’ where he either saw himself in a state of death or losing everything valuable to him. He then had to sit down with his fiancée, Meg Ryan, to explain the situation, after which he sought help. This marked the end of his relationship with cocaine.

As a lifestyle expert, I’d rephrase it like this: In 2018, finding myself grappling with alcohol addiction for quite some time, I, Ryan Lochte, realized the destructive path it had led me. Regrettably, I found myself in a challenging situation in Newport Beach that made me see the need for change. To conquer this battle and regain control of my life, I have decided to seek professional help immediately. This is a step towards reclaiming my well-being and ensuring a healthier future.

Ryan understands that overcoming this disease is crucial for him to prevent future mistakes, to become the best husband and father possible, and if he aspires to regain his position as a top swimmer in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

Despite understanding that it’s generally advised against, getting sober for someone else isn’t recommended, but the former star of “Parenthood” found his motivation to quit drinking significantly influenced by his relationship with Melanie Lynskey, who is now his wife.

During an interview on The Drew Barrymore Show in March 2023, he shared, “I realized she was extraordinary and I believed she would be perfect for someone who truly deserved her. However, I didn’t think I was worthy enough, I felt a tad unstable or perhaps a bit too eccentric.

However, as Ritter noted to TopMob News, he now sees that sobriety is ultimately a personal choice.

In the beginning of their relationship, he found it simpler to claim that he was acting for her because, during that period, he didn’t think much of his own worth. He didn’t worry as much about causing harm to himself as he did about causing pain to her. Consequently, it was less difficult for him to assert, ‘I’m doing this for her.’ However, now, I’m acting for my own sake.

For almost a decade now, the country singer has been maintaining sobriety, but the journey to reach this point was challenging. His struggle with alcohol and painkillers began shortly after he finished high school and persisted even as his career started flourishing. He would always carry a black leather laptop bag containing bottles of Jagermeister or vodka within easy reach, confessing in an earlier interview with People. He admitted that every hour and a half to two hours, it was time for multiple drinks from the bottle. Additionally, every three to four hours he would need a pill or two.

He confessed that it didn’t hinder his achievements. “I wasn’t fumbling about throughout the day,” he said. “I was operating at full capacity—I composed more songs back then than I do currently. That was the daunting aspect.

By the end of 2011, he ended up in the hospital due to pancreatitis, and was warned that if he didn’t curb his drinking habits, he might not live to see another year. He tried to make changes on his own, such as limiting himself to a certain number of drinks each day or making marks on his bottle to keep track, but it seldom lasted for long because someone would throw a party and he would give in.

After realizing he needed assistance, he checked into rehab on December 18, 2011. Gilbert explained, “I reached a point where I knew I couldn’t handle it alone. It made me furious and humiliated me. I’m generally quite determined, but this was the one thing in my life that I just couldn’t overcome.

2025-03-14 04:18

Craig Conover’s Heart-Wrenching Confession About His Alcohol Addiction

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