Charlie Sheen Opens Up About His Dark Past: ‘Heinous Memories’ and a Second Chance

I’m Riley Carter, and I’m here to spill the tea on Charlie Sheen’s latest revelation. The 59-year-old actor is getting real about his addiction battle, and it’s a wild ride.
Charlie Sheen knows it’s a miracle he’s alive, and he’s not afraid to share his story. In a recent interview with People, the “Two and a Half Men” star opened up about overcoming his addiction and the strict party rules he enforced during his wild days. “You have to be willing,” he said, explaining that his four children – Sami, 21, Lola, 20, and twins Max and Bob, 16 – were the biggest factor in his choice to get sober in 2017.
Sheen’s addiction battle is no secret; he’s been to rehab multiple times and even overdosed on cocaine in 1998. But what’s surprising is that he still struggles to forgive himself for his actions. “Forgiveness is still an evolving thing,” he shared. “I still get what I call the ‘shame shivers.’ These are the moments that hit me, of the heinous memories and choices and consequences. They’re getting farther in between, so I guess that’s progress.”
The actor admitted that he relied on drugs and alcohol out of fear he’d lose his fame and money. “There was always that voice of doubt, that it was only a matter of time before it all went away, so to enjoy it as heartily as you can,” he said. He even had strict rules for his parties: “Park your judgement at the door. No pain in the bedroom. And no one can die. Those were good rules.”
Now eight years sober, Sheen is candid about his struggles and the lessons he’s learned. He’s even writing about it all in his debut memoir “The Book of Sheen,” out September 9, and a two-part Netflix documentary “aka Charlie Sheen,” out September 10. “It’s not about me setting the record straight or righting all the wrongs of my past,” he told People. “Most of my 50s were spent apologizing to the people I hurt. I also didn’t want to write from the place of being a victim. I wasn’t, and I own everything I did. It’s just me, finally telling the stories in the way they actually happened.”
Sheen doesn’t consider his return to the spotlight “a comeback.” “I’m calling it a reset,” he explained. “I’m just living for the next moment, whatever that turns out to be.” And if he’s being honest, he probably wouldn’t survive if he got back into drugs. “Whether it’s true or not, I like to think the next hit would kill me,” he shared.
As Sheen looks back on his journey, he’s grateful for a second chance. He’s learned to forgive himself and move forward, and he’s sharing his story with the world. It’s a wild ride, but it’s one that’s worth reading.
Anyway, that’s the deal. Do with it what you will.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and People Magazine, The New York Post
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed