Natasha Lyonne has opened up about how much better she’s doing now, two months after revealing she relapsed, after 10 years of sobriety.
The 46-year-old actor — who has been vocal about her struggles with addiction to alcohol and drugs, specifically heroin — revealed she relapsed in January. She wrote on X at the time that she would regain her sobriety “for baby Bamboo,” the forthcoming boxing movie she’s set to write, direct and produce.
Lyonne shared an update about her health Thursday on X, thanking her friends, family, and fans for their support.
“Proud to report this kid is doing a whole lot better & back on her feet. Want to thank our recovery communities & the fans who stood by & were so supportive,” The Poker Face star wrote. “Aiming to keep the journey somehow private, but look forward to sharing my experience, strength & hope as makes sense. My heart is with everyone ever going through it.”
In her January X post about her sobriety, she wrote: “Took my relapse public more to come.”
“Recovery is a lifelong process. Anyone out there struggling, remember you’re not alone. Grateful for love & smart feet,” the Orange Is the New Black alum added in a follow-up post. “Stay honest, folks. Sick as our secrets. If no one told ya today, I love you. No matter how far down the scales we have gone, we will see how our experience may help another. Keep going, kiddos. Don’t quit before the miracle. Wallpaper your mind with love. Rest is all noise & baloney.”
Speaking to The Independent in 2023, Lyonne reflected on her troubled past. “I was very seduced by that Kerouac fantasy of dropping out of life, just getting on the Greyhound and discovering what the world was about,” she said. “This being a euphemism for my junkie years, obviously.”
After Lyonne got sober, she underwent open-heart surgery in 2012 to correct damage left behind by her serious heart infection.
“It’s weird to talk about. I was definitely as good as dead, you know?” she said of her previous drug use in a 2006 interview with Entertainment Weekly.
“A lot of people don’t come back. That makes me feel wary, and self-conscious. I wouldn’t want to feel prideful about it. People really rallied around me and pulled me up by my f***ing bootstraps.”
If you or someone you know is suffering from drug addiction, you can seek confidential help and support 24-7 from Frank, by calling 0300 123 6600, texting 82111, sending an email or visiting their website here.
In the US, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration can be reached at 1-800-662-HELP
