Many child star celebrities find themselves the center of media hype and negative publicity through their every misstep. Adolescence and young adulthood characterize a time of experimenting with independent decisions, and learning the difference between things we regret and what we’re proud of. Zac Efron’s addiction struggle has proven to be an important milestone for him in establishing a difference between harmful choices he’s made in the past and the direction he would like to see for his future.
“I’m a human being, and I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I’ve learned from each one… I wouldn’t take anything back; I needed to learn everything I did.”
https://www.cnn.com/2014/05/01/showbiz/celebrity-news-gossip/zac-efron-addiction-struggle/
The 26 year old actor, who is best known for the “High School Musical” films, had admittedly wrapped himself too deeply into work, and used drugs and alcohol to manage stress and pressure. Suffering mounting consequences as a result, he found insight about the direction he was heading and how to change. He had to have his jaw wired shut as a result of injury from falling by an indoor fountain in his Los Feliz home; and several weeks later was questioned by police about his involvement in a fight with a homeless man after his car stalled in downtown Los Angeles in the early hours of the morning.
A self-described insomniac, he acknowledges he struggled with anxiety, becoming so wrapped up in work; he lost focus of how he was compromising his personal health and well-being. He had been living out of a suitcase traveling from hotel to hotel for a time, isolating from friends and family and increasing his drug and alcohol use to a destructive level.
After deciding to go to rehab, seeking outside therapy and additional help with support groups and a physical wellness plan, the actor decided to open up to the public about what he went through and the solution he’s found. Zac Efron’s addiction struggle may seem like one more child stars entrance into the highly publicized and fast paced world of Hollywood, but his down to earth solutions speak to his integrity. Realizing the impression he makes as a role model, the actor explains he wants to do the best he can to promote for young people how positive and healthy standards are just as “cool” as the many other messages they’re seeing advertised today.