Addiction has been a problem within the world of music since the beginning of true pop-culture. It has taken some of the greatest artists of all time from us much too soon. James Hetfield is one of the more lucky cases. James has been able to overcome his demons, but not without much trying to kick it.
Over a series of media appearances, the singer explained the toll his rock-and-roll lifestyle has had on his life, and how he started to turn it around.
Back in 2017, James Hetfield stated on the Joe Rogan podcast: “There was drink and drug and all kinds of stuff just thrown at you all the time and it starts off as a fun little thing, and then it turns into an escape, and then all of a sudden you don’t remember why you’re out there doing stuff.”
James Hetfield’s decision to start tackling his addiction was motivated by fear. He said: “Losing my family, that was the thing that scared me so much, that was the bottom I hit, that my family is going to go away because of my behaviors that I brought home from the road.
The mystery was broken as to what was the ultimate pull towards substances as James Hetfield would then admit that he had a lack of a family connection.
In order to rebuild his life, James knew that a massive change had to be done. He would start a twelve step program.
He stated: “What worked for me was 7 weeks someplace, like basically tearing you down to bones, ripping your life apart, anything you thought about yourself or what it was, anything you thought you had, your family, your career, anything… gone…Here’s how you were when you were born, you were okay, you were a good person, let’s get back to that again, then they slowly rebuild you.”
