Kathy Griffin is reflecting on her recovery from addiction, saying that her late-in-life pill dependency was "almost comical."
The 61-year-old comedian and actress made the remark on the most recent episode of The New York Times' "Sway" podcast while discussing the 2017 controversy that followed after she shared images of her posing with a fake bloody head meant to represent then-President Donald Trump.
The images ultimately tanked her career, which sent Griffin on a downward spiral that ultimately led to two suicide attempts.
"I think that I'm probably an addictive person, you know," Griffin shared, according to People.
"But you have to admit, it's almost, like, comical," she said. "Like, I went in the hospital for pill addiction at 59-years old. Who the hell becomes a junkie in, like, their late 50s? Me."
Griffin admitted she did not know what to do with herself when her career stalled and she wound up dealing with feelings of depression.
"I was just such a crazy workaholic," she explained. "And all of a sudden, I had this time on my hands, and then I was depressed, and things just weren't looking up."
It was during that time that she began to harbor suicidal thoughts. Griffin told host Kara Swisher that she became convinced she had a "good run on this planet" but it was time for her to go. Worsening the situation was the COVID-19 pandemic, which contributed toward her addiction with Oxycontin and benzodiazepines, including Valium, Klonopin, and Ativan, as well as Adderall and Provigil.
"Not to blame COVID, but then COVID also is like, just laying around all day and trying to figure out life," she said. "So that was rough, although it was a good thing, ultimately, and it was sobering, quite literally."
It was only after her second suicide attempt, when she was admitted into a psychiatric ward, that Griffin realized she needed to make a change.
"I'm there, in the hospital psych ward for three days, and boy, that will sober you up like nothing," she explained. "You have no drugs, you're just shaking, and I'm looking at the ceiling and just reassessing life choices, and you have nothing but your own thoughts."
In August last year, Griffin announced that she underwent surgery to have part of her left lung removed following a cancer diagnosis. While the recovery was tough, Griffin later said that surviving gave her a new lease on life.
"For some reason, when I survived, I laugh at everything now," she said, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "I walk around all day giggling because I feel like I had this near miss, and so now I just laugh at everything."
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, please contact the SAMHSA substance abuse helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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