Brad Pitt has revealed that his seven-year run of sobriety has come to an end.
The actor says he is drinking again, but insists he has learned to keep a tight leash on things.
In a wide-ranging interview with Esquire, Pitt stated, "I was sober for seven years. And then I got back off the wagon."
He quickly added that he is now drinking "in a more restrained manner."
The actor admitted that he got overconfident a couple of times and quickly realized that drinking in large quantities is still not good for him.
He says he can have a few glasses of wine, but not too many, explaining, "I have to be professional about it."
Previously, Pitt credited Bradley Cooper with helping him get sober after his split from Angelina Jolie.
He also spent more than a year attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings during that period.
Reflecting on a Darker Period
The conversation took a much darker turn as Pitt reflected on a painful period involving what he would only describe as "family stuff."
Pitt said that suicide generally wasn't in his makeup, but acknowledged there was one period when the pain became so "oppressive" that he understood how someone could view death as relief.
He stressed that he never planned to act on those thoughts, and his survival instincts quickly kicked in.
When the interviewer asked whether the period involved his children, Pitt declined to elaborate, repeating, "Family stuff. We could leave it at that."
As Pitt put it, "This s*** ain't easy" — even for a guy who says he "won the lottery."
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.
org.
