Ben Affleck has spoken up for the first time since his estranged wife Jennifer Garner drove him to rehab.
In case you missed it: the 46-year-old actor who has been struggling with alcoholism was driven to a rehabilitation facility in late August by Garner, and that came after news surfaced that he had been spending time with Playboy model Shauna Sexton, raising questions about whether he and Lindsay Shookus had called it quits.
Now, Affleck is speaking up since entering rehab for treatment.
“This week I completed a forty day stay at a treatment center for alcohol addiction and remain in outpatient care,” said the actor in a statement shared on Instagram. “The support I have received from my family, colleagues and fans means more to me than I can say. It’s given me the strength and support to speak about my illness with others.”“Battling any addiction is a lifelong and difficult struggle. Because of that, one is never really in or out of treatment,” he explains. “It is a full-time commitment. I am fighting for myself and my family. So many people have reached out on social media and spoken about their own journeys with addiction. To those people, I want to say thank you. Your strength is inspiring and is supporting me in ways I didn’t think was possible. It helps to know I am not alone. As I’ve had to remind myself, if you have a problem, getting help is a sign of courage, not weakness or failure,” he continued.
Ben concluded, “With acceptance and humility, I continue to avail myself with the help of so many people and I am grateful to all those who are there for me. I hope down the road I can offer an example to others who are struggling.”
See the statement below.