Whoopi Goldberg admitted she feared her cocaine addiction would ultimately kill her.
The Sister Act star, 68, became hooked on Class A drugs during her early years of her rise to stardom in Hollywood. The actor revealed she would go to parties where sedative pills, Quaaludes and cocaine were handed out freely, taking her to some very dark places.
The mum-of-one opened up about her battle with drug addiction in her new book Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me. In her tell-all book she revealed: “I was invited to parties where I was greeted at the door with a bowl of Quaaludes from which I could pick what I wanted.
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“Lines of cocaine were laid across tables and bathroom counters for the taking.” Whoopi explained how her circle of friends had a relaxed attitude towards drugs which led her to believe she could “handle” the drug and didn’t see cocaine as “dangerous”.
(Image: Lou Rocco/ABC via Getty Images)
She admitted that she managed to hide her drug use for about a year as a “very high-functioning addict”. But her drug use soon took a turn for the worse when she started hallucinating onset. In her memoir, which was obtained by Page Six, Whoopi recalled one incident in which she thought she saw a creature under her bed.
The actor remembered being scared it would attack her if she got up and as a result, she didn’t leave her bed for 24 hours. The turning point came when she was staying at a luxury hotel in New York and a friend had given her cocaine as a birthday present.
Whoopi shared how she ended up sitting in the closet in her room sorting the drug, but she was disturbed by a maid. She recalled: “I screamed. She screamed and backed up and looked like she was going to run.
(Image: Getty Images)
“I had to get to her quickly and try to calm her down. She was staring at my face as I talked.” Whoopi eventually resolved the situation but when she looked in the mirror she realised she had white powder all over her face.
She went on to reveal that the mortifying exchange shamed her into giving up drugs. The Ghost star added: “I’d have been so embarrassed if my mother knew the extent the coke had me in its clutches.
“I knew I’d have to change out my friends and turn down invitations but I could do that. I didn’t want to die.” Whoopi admitted she felt lucky that she was able to “stop using drugs quickly”.
(Image: Getty Images)
The star soon came to terms with the face that she would have to turn down invitations and turn her back on certain friendships to stay sober. Writing in her memoir, she said she was willing to do this because she “didn’t want to die.”
Frank offers confidential advice about drugs and addiction (email frank@talktofrank.com, message 82111 or call 0300 123 6600) or the NHS has information about getting help.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
