Stranger Things star Jamie Campbell Bower has received an outpouring of support from fans after speaking publicly about his struggles with addiction and mental health.
Content note: this article contains references to addiction, substance abuse, self harm and suicidal ideation that readers may find upsetting.
Jamie Campbell Bower has made something of a name for himself playing villainous movie characters over the past decade. There’s his chilling turn as vampire leader Caius in Twilight: New Moon and his role as the young dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald in Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part One. More recently, however, the actor has taken on the biggest transformation of his career as the evil (but epic) Vecna in Netflix’s smash-hit sci-fi series Stranger Things.
But the actor was full of nothing but good intentions when he recently opened up about his struggles with addiction and mental health.
In a moving Twitter post, the star publicly shared his experience of receiving hospital treatment for struggles with addiction, announcing that he was celebrating seven and a half years of sobriety.
He tweeted: “12 and a half years ago I was in active addiction. Hurting myself and those around me who I loved the most. It got so bad that eventually I ended up in a hospital for mental health. I am now 7 1/2 years clean and sober. I have made many mistakes in my life.”
“But each day is a chance to start again,” he continued. “Atone for mistakes and grow. For anyone who wakes up thinking, “Oh god, not again,” I promise you there’s a way. I’m so grateful to be where I am; I’m so grateful to be sober. I’m so grateful to be. Remember, we are all works in progress.”
The post, which has received thousands of likes and replies from his followers, drew a wave of love and support from fans who thanked him for his openness and shared their own stories of recovery.
Lauren Samuels, who starred alongside Bower in the stage adaptation of Bend It Like Beckham, also added a message of support.
“I remember when you were writing the days on your hand during rehearsals,” she tweeted. “It’s incredibly impressive how far you’ve come dear Jamie x”.
“There is no way on this earth that I would have done this without you. I am literally in your debt forever,” Bower replied.
It’s not the first time the star has spoken publicly about his struggles with substance abuse and mental health issues. The star has previously referenced his feelings in a song called It Gets Better that he released with his band Counterfeit, and in 2019, he spoke to i-D about the inspiration for the song.
“I’m in recovery, so one of the first things that they teach you when you’re in recovery is to be super honest about what it is that you’re feeling, like guilt, shame, fear, sadness, whatever it is,” he explained. “The most important thing is, and it’s the hardest thing to do, is just express exactly what it is that you’re feeling.”
To access support for addiction and dependency, including dedicated helplines you can call, you can visit the Mind website.
Images: Getty; Netflix
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