Natasha Lyonne has shared publicly that she recently relapsed after 10 years of sobriety.
The 46-year-old actor, best known for comedic roles in series such as Russian Doll and Poker Face, has been vocal about her struggles with addiction to alcohol and drugs, specifically heroin.
In 2005, Lyonne was hospitalized after suffering a collapsed lung, a heart infection, and hepatitis C, conditions caused by her longtime drug abuse. The near-death experience, along with a string of other legal troubles, is what prompted her to get sober.
She remained sober for at least a decade, until Saturday, when she candidly shared on X: “Took my relapse public more to come.”
In a following post, the American Pie star added: “Recovery is a lifelong process. Anyone out there struggling, remember you’re not alone. Grateful for love & smart feet.”
She promised to regain her sobriety “for baby Bamboo,” the forthcoming boxing movie she’s set to write, direct and produce.
“Stay honest, folks. Sick as our secrets. If no one told ya today, I love you. No matter how far down the scales we have gone, we will see how our experience may help another,” Lyonne said. “Keep going, kiddos. Don’t quit before the miracle. Wallpaper your mind with love. Rest is all noise & baloney.”
Lyonne has received an outpouring of heartfelt support from fans, some of which she reshared and responded to.
“Thanks, boss. There but for the grace, etc. Sending love back your way. May become a pothead or a nun. TBD,” she replied to one.
“Facts on facts we need better systems and to end shame,” she responded to another.
Speaking to The Independent in 2023, Lyonne reflected on her troubled past. “I was very seduced by that Kerouac fantasy of dropping out of life, just getting on the Greyhound and discovering what the world was about,” she said. “This being a euphemism for my junkie years, obviously.”
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After Lyonne got sober, she underwent open-heart surgery in 2012 to correct damage left behind by her serious heart infection.
“It’s weird to talk about. I was definitely as good as dead, you know?” she said of her previous drug use in a 2006 interview with Entertainment Weekly.
“A lot of people don’t come back. That makes me feel wary, and self-conscious. I wouldn’t want to feel prideful about it. People really rallied around me and pulled me up by my f***ing bootstraps.”
If you or someone you know is suffering from drug addiction, you can seek confidential help and support 24-7 from Frank, by calling 0300 123 6600, texting 82111, sending an email or visiting their website here.
In the US, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration can be reached at 1-800-662-HELP