On August 18th, actor Colton Haynes took to Instagram to post a slideshow of photos of him being hospitalized last year.
He captioned the photo: “Throwback. I don’t want worrying about if I look hot or not on Instagram to be my legacy. I don’t want to skirt around the truth to please other people or to gain economic success. I have far more important things to say than what magazine I just shot for or what tv show I’m a part of (Although I’m very thankful I still get to do what I love). I no longer want to project a curated life. I get immense joy when someone comes up to me & says that my willingness to open up about depression, anxiety, alcoholism, & addiction has helped them in some way. I’ve struggled the past year with trying to find my voice and where I fit in & that has been the most beautiful struggle I’ve ever had to go through. Worrying about what time to post on social media so I can maximize my likes or being mad at myself that I don’t look the same way I did when I was addicted to pills is a complete waste of why I was put on this earth. I’m posting these photos to let y’all in on my truth. I’m so grateful to be where I am now ( a year after these photos were taken) but man these times were dark. I’m a human being with flaws just like you. If ur in the middle of the dark times...I promise you it doesn’t have to last forever.”
Comments came pouring in from fans and celebrity friends expressing their love and praise for being so open about his mental health and addiction issues.
Colton has gone through so much in the past year. His mother passed away in 2018 and shortly after, he got a divorce from his husband after less than a year of marriage. Colton says, “I got so heavily involved with drugs and alcohol to mask the amount of pain I was feeling that I couldn’t even make some decisions for myself.”
Colton Haynes’ 7 Day Bender
For Colton, rock bottom was when he locked himself in a hotel room for 7 days straight. He was found with bruises all over his body and ended up in the hospital in 5150-psyche hold. His kidney was almost ruptured, he temporarily lost partial sight in his left eye, he had two seizures. Haynes didn’t recollect any of this until he was sober enough. That rude awakening was the push he needed to seek treatment.
Speaking out about his struggles is one step in the right direction toward ending the stigma around addiction. Haynes says, “I’m always going to be in recovery. There are so many people out here, but not a lot them talk about it. Life is much more beautiful than I could have imagined. It’s just a different life now. It’s the best gift I’ve ever been given.”
What Colton went through sounds like a co-occurring disorder. Dual diagnosis (or co-occurring disorder) is when someone suffers from both substance abuse issues as well as mental health issues. People who are dealing with a dual diagnosis need co-occurring disorder treatment if they’re going to get and stay sober.
Here at Banyan Treatment Centers, we offer various programs and therapies to help people struggling with addiction and mental health issues as well as the negative effects addiction may have on a family. Take the first step to get help and call today: 888-966-9413
