Selma Blair Opens About Her Past With Alcohol Addiction
Selma Blair has been incredibly open about many of the hardships in her life. The actor is most well-known for her roles in films like "Cruel Intentions" and" "Hellboy," and she's also come back into the spotlight after her diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. According to Today, doctors diagnosed Blair with MS in 2018, when she was just 46 years old. According to Mayo Clinic, MS "is a potentially disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord."
Blair talked about the diagnosis in her documentary titled "Introducing, Selma Blair," detailing how much of an effect it had on her life. "I spent so long trying to kill myself or numb myself or check out or figure out how to be alive by being half-dead, and now I just want to help other people feel better," she confessed (via Today). Blair has been an advocate for raising awareness about the disease, and she also revealed why she's been so open about her struggles in her documentary. "I want to tell the truth about MS. It is important to me that people see what living with a chronic illness is like," she said, per People. We have to applaud her for using her platform for good.
According to Page Six, Blair revealed that she was in remission in 2021 via her documentary. "My prognosis is great. I'm in remission. Stem cell put me in remission," she shared. Now, the actor is being totally open about another issue that has weighed heavy on her life.
Selma Blair began drinking when she was just a kid
Selma Blair is the latest celebrity to get totally candid about her hardships. In her memoir "Mean Baby," the "Cruel Intentions" star doesn't hold much back. Blair spoke with People about the book that details her struggles with alcohol addiction, suicide attempts, and sexual assault. It's a lot to unpack.
"I don't know if I would've survived childhood without alcoholism," she told the outlet, revealing her alcohol addiction started when she was only 7 years old. "That's why it's such a problem for a lot of people. It really is a huge comfort, a huge relief in the beginning," she added. "Maybe even the first few years for me because I did start really young with that as a comfort, as my coping mechanism." Blair called the first time she got "drunk" a "revelation," and she started drinking during Passover, taking small sips of Manischewitz throughout the seder. When she was younger, she took small sips to help with "anxiety." In the book, the star also reportedly detailed a time in college when she was on spring break and was raped by one or two men after a day of "binge drinking."
Luckily, Blair has a great friendship with Sarah Michelle Gellar, who she can lean on through it all. Blair told Entertainment Weekly in 2019 that she and Gellar met on the "Cruel Intentions" set, and they clicked immediately. "Oh my gosh, Sarah's my everything. I can't tell you how much I love this woman," she said. How sweet is that?
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse and mental health, please contact SAMHSA's 24-hour National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).