Ben Affleck Reflects On His Darkest Years

Ben Affleck has spent most of his life in the public eye, known for his career, awards, and long list of films. But behind the success, he carried a private struggle that shaped much of his adult life.

His past battles with alcohol were something he spoke about openly in a 2020 interview with ABC News, where he reflected on how his drinking started, how it grew worse, and how he eventually chose a different path.

Affleck explained that his first attempt at sobriety happened back in 2001, when he was still fairly young. At the time, he believed he had handled the issue and managed to stay away from alcohol for a few years. As time passed, he convinced himself he could return to drinking casually.

For almost a decade, he tried to live as someone who simply enjoyed an occasional drink, believing he had things under control. But life changed quickly. His career expanded, his responsibilities grew, and he became a husband and father of three.

While directing films and taking on larger projects, the pressure increased. Slowly, drinking began to play a bigger role in his daily routine, and he started noticing patterns he could no longer ignore. The point came when he had to face a difficult truth: he wasn’t someone who could drink “normally,” and his alcohol use had become a serious problem.

A slow slide into daily drinking forced him to confront the family patterns he once vowed to avoid.

He described the shift as gradual but relentless. He would come home from work and immediately reach for alcohol, telling himself it was just a way to unwind. Soon it became something he did every day, staying up late and drinking until he fell asleep on the couch. Each attempt to slow down or quit on his own only made him see more clearly that he needed real help.

Affleck also spoke about the deep personal history behind his struggle. Addiction ran through his family, shaping the environment he grew up in. His grandmother and aunt faced their own battles with alcohol, and his father struggled as well.

He remembered how painful it was to watch it unfold when he was young, and how he promised himself he would never repeat those patterns. But as an adult, he realized how easily those cycles can pull people in.

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Despite the shame and difficulty, he also found motivation in these memories. He wanted to be a present and responsible father during the years when his own children needed him the most, something he felt his father had not been able to do. Sobriety, he said, became essential not only for his own health but for the kind of parent he wanted to be.

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His honesty in the interview gained wide support online. Many viewers said they appreciated how clearly he described the experiences of someone dealing with alcoholism. Others thanked him for speaking openly, believing his story could help people who were hiding similar struggles.

A 2019 video of him appearing intoxicated pushed Affleck to face how his addiction hurt his family.

Affleck also touched on his divorce from Jennifer Garner, explaining that it was not the future he wished for. He never wanted a broken family, but he understood that his addiction had caused real damage.

The turning point came when a video of him appearing intoxicated in 2019 circulated online. Seeing himself like that forced him to confront reality and commit again to recovery.

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Today, despite personal challenges and high-profile relationships, he continues to put sobriety first. According to those close to him, he has remained fully committed and has stayed sober even during difficult moments, including the ups and downs of his relationship and divorce from Jennifer Lopez.

Affleck’s journey shows how complicated recovery can be, but also how determination and self-awareness can lead to a healthier life. He continues to work on himself every day, hoping his effort is enough—and knowing he has to keep going, no matter what.