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Carrie Fisher Abused Cocaine on Star Wars Set

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Carrie Fisher recently said in an interview that she abused cocaine when she was filming “Empire Strikes Back” as Princess Leia. During the scenes set on the ice planet Hoth, Fisher says she used cocaine.

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Fisher says: “I didn’t even like coke that much. It was a case of getting on whatever train I needed to take to get high.”

Fisher was 19 when she played Princess Leia. At 24, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and now, at 53, she is performing a one-woman show called “Wishful Drinking.”

She has been in and out of drug and alcohol rehab since she worked on the Star Wars series. She says: “I realized I was doing a bit more than other people and losing my choice in the matter.”

Fighting Drug Addiction is a Lifelong Battle

While Fisher isn’t proud of her past with drugs and alcohol, she’s under no illusions about her future. Getting clean and sober has been a lifelong battle for the actress and it’s one that she recognizes as something that doesn’t just go away.

Fisher says: ” I’ve been sober for three years now. I’ve been trying to get sober and stay sober for a long time. The longest stretch I’ve done was about eight years. Kicking drugs has been difficult. It doesn’t go away, it’s not like a virus.”

Drug Addiction, Relapse and Relapse Prevention

Once you’ve been through drug and alcohol rehab, kicked your drug of choice and learned how to live without drugs and alcohol, the real work begins: remembering to implement what you learned in relapse prevention each and every day. Fisher makes sure she doesn’t take her sobriety for granted; she even uses it as fodder for her performance. Not everyone can do that. But you can make sure that recognizing what you’ve been through is a part of your life. Service projects, 12 step meetings, sponsoring someone newly sober – all of these things remind you daily how you used to live, how far you’ve come and let you know that you’re only a relapse away from being back there again.

Finding a Network of Support in Drug Addiction Recovery

Refusing to isolate yourself at home or at your job and instead volunteering or attending 12 step meetings gives you more than just a reminder of where you used to be; it also gives you an opportunity to build a network of support for yourself. By choosing positivity, you draw positive people to you. These friendships and acquaintances provide a buffer between you and relapse after drug rehab. In the 12 step program, for example, you can ask for an acquaintance’s phone number and for permission to call if you feel tempted to use, but in some cases, it’s just enough to know that there are others out there that you can go to coffee with who are going through what you are experiencing. Surrounding yourself with positive people are clean and sober will help you to stay clean and sober yourself long after drug and alcohol rehab.

Call Michael’s House today to learn more about our drug and alcohol rehab program or our long-term sober living facilities here in Palm Springs, California.

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