Kristen Bell recently shared why she talks to her kids about her husband’s past struggles with addiction.
“The Good Place” actor explained in a Real Simple story published Thursday that she and Dax Shepard aim to talk with their daughters Lincoln, 9, and Delta, 8, about topics that some might consider ” taboo”. “
“I hate the word taboo, I think it should be removed from the dictionary,” she said in a video posted by the publication. “There shouldn’t be any topic that isn’t discussed that people can talk about.”
“I know it’s shocking, but I talk to my kids about drugs and their dad is an addict and in recovery, and we talk about sex,” she continued. “There are all these ‘difficult subjects’ – they don’t have to be, if you give the other person your vulnerability and some faith.”
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Shepard has openly discussed his journey with recovery and his past struggles with addiction on several occasions.
The actor revealed on his Armchair Expert podcast in September 2020 that he had relapsed after 16 years of sobriety. He said he abused painkillers and that the drug abuse stemmed in part from a past motorcycle accident and subsequent injuries.
Shepard said he experienced the “worst hour” of his life that year, when he celebrated his 16th year of sobriety from alcohol and cocaine while intoxicated.
Bell shared his support for Shepard during an appearance on “The Ellen Degeneres Show” the following month of that year.
She said she praised her husband for being open about the consequences and being “addicted to the high”.
“It depends on the evolution,” he said. “He said, ‘I don’t want to risk this family and I did, so let’s put new things in place to make sure it doesn’t happen again.’
Shepard and Bell have been married since 2013.
Elsewhere in her interview with Real Simple, Bell said that she and Shepard teach their children the importance of apologizing.
“If there’s one thing I want to teach my kids,” she said, “it’s how to make amends — and that’s for themselves, so they like who’s in the mirror a little more.”
Need help with substance use disorders or mental health issues? In the United States, call 800-662-HELP (4357) for SAMHSA National Helpline.
