Lena Dunham just marked 5 years of sobriety! The Girls creator recently told her 3.1 million Instagram followers in a post shared on Monday, that she has been sober for the past five years now.
In the social media post, the Catherine Called Birdy director talked about her struggle with substance abuse and shared a carousel of pictures on Instagram. Continue reading further to learn more about Lena Dunham’s sobriety journey.
Lena Dunham has been sober for the past 5 years now
Lena started by writing, “5 years ago today, I set foot — trembling like a little kid — into treatment for substance misuse. My parents hugged me goodbye, I changed into house slippers and there I was. The struggle with addiction hit me little by little, then all at once.”
She further added, “It’s a cliche for a reason — asking for help was the hardest part (I mean, aside from the other hard parts, but each step from there got easier And ease was always the goal — ease in my body, ease in my restless mind and the ease to exist in moments of pain, anxiety and uncertainty without reaching for a solution that seemed to help in the moment but pulled me further away from the people I love and the life that I wanted.)”
In her lengthy Instagram post, the American writer stated that the last 5 years have been “the happiest of my time on earth so far.” She mentioned that going through life without any drug use gave her a “sturdy baseline and new tools.”
Dunham continued, “5 years ago all of this was impossible to imagine. 5 days was impossible to imagine. 5 minutes sometimes felt hard. I was able to get and stay sober because I had the support and resources to ask for and get incredible help- medical, spiritual. For so many people, the difference between sober and using isn’t their willingness, or their strength- it’s their resources. We don’t have a system that makes this easy for those who are already struggling to make their lives work.”
Lena Dunham revealed that she is raising money for a non-profit called Friendly House
The This is 40 actress also disclosed that in honor of her sober birthday, she will be making donations to Friendly House, a nonprofit women’s addiction treatment center. It is a rehab facility that was established way back in the year 1951. It lends a helping hand to women to recover from substance abuse.
A part of Lena’s Instagram caption read, “So today, on my very lucky sober birthday- and through this week- I will be matching donations to @friendlyhousela, a rehab that doesn’t turn away women and gender nonconforming people for financial reasons.”
She went on to say, “I hope we can band together and give others the gift of that support, so they can celebrate similar days, living in their true strength. Every cent you give will go to helping people deal with addiction and trauma.”
Dunham concluded, “There are a lot of people who deserve thanks here- I hope I’ve given them enough of that face to face, but today is a good reminder to give more. Every day is a lesson I am lucky to learn, and I don’t take it for granted. So especially today, I am grateful.”
Lena Dunham has reflected on her drug addiction before
In the past, Lena shed some light on quitting Klonopin, a type of Benzodiazepine used to treat symptoms of anxiety, panic disorders and seizures. Then, she explained that she was not aware of her dependency on “doctor prescribed” drugs while she was using.
The Tiny Furniture star said, “I didn’t know I had an issue with drugs for a long time: because they were doctor prescribed, because I was outwardly successful and not a wild in da club party chick. But wouldn’t you say that hurting people you love is an issue? Wouldn’t you say feeling lost and lonely much of the time is an issue? Wouldn’t you say wearing shorts to a movie premiere *is* an issue?”
Post celebrating her first year of sobriety, Lena said, “Sobriety hasn’t fixed my world. Life is still challenging- that’s the nature of the game. But every day I am surprised by the richness and depth of, well, reality. I don’t need to escape this beautiful carnival. Instead, I’m on the ride.”
While having a chat with People magazine in October 2019, the A Goodbye to Girls star stated that her experience gave her a passion for recovery. She said, “I’m here because getting sober changed my life and I’m really, really passionate about recovery and sober living being available for everyone no matter their income bracket, especially for women who are so often put in danger when they are new to sobriety.”
Dunham continued, “So I think that for me, Friendly House is just representative of what America can do if we make the choice to support recovery, and I love Friendly House because they are trans and non-binary inclusive, because they don’t turn women away because of income bracket, because they bring women together who are from really different paths of life and allow them to connect through the miracle of recovery.”
She further added, “That’s something I’ve benefited from, and I don’t want recovery to only be available to people and women who have my level of privilege.”
On the other hand, when we talk about Lena’s personal life, she has been married to Luis Felber, a Peruvian-English musician since 2021. She and Luis exchanged their vows in an impromptu ceremony in London on September 25, 2021.
We just want to wish Lena Dunham a very happy sober birthday. We are so glad that the Hollywood actress is living her best life now. Don’t forget to stay tuned with us for the latest updates from the world of showbiz.
