Brad Pitt Confesses to Relapse After Seven Years of Sobriety, Reveals Suicidal Thoughts Amidst "Family Stuff"
LOS ANGELES, CA – In a candid and revealing new interview, Hollywood icon Brad Pitt has disclosed a profound shift in his personal journey, admitting he is "not sober" after seven years of abstinence from alcohol. The actor, known for his guarded private life, also opened up about a harrowing period of suicidal ideation, directly attributing it to the tumultuous "family stuff" surrounding his high-profile separation from Angelina Jolie and the estrangement from his children.
The bombshell revelations emerged in a recent interview with Esquire, where Pitt, 60, delved into the complexities of his sobriety and the intense emotional pain he has experienced.
### A Relapse After Seven Years
Pitt, who previously spoke extensively about his struggles with alcohol, confirmed that he has returned to drinking, albeit in a more controlled manner. “No, I got – I was sober for seven years. And then I got back off the wagon. In a more restrained manner,” he stated. He acknowledged periods of overconfidence that led to minor relapses, ultimately concluding that “not good for me. Not in big quantities.”
When prompted by the interviewer about the possibility of enjoying “a glass of wine,” Pitt conceded, “Yeah. Well…I can have a few. But I can’t have a lot. I have to be professional about it.” This measured approach suggests a conscious effort to manage his alcohol consumption, a departure from his previous declaration of complete abstinence.
Pitt’s journey to sobriety was a significant public event. In a 2017 interview with GQ, he admitted to a lifelong battle with substance use, stating he “couldn’t remember a day since leaving college when I wasn’t drinking, smoking pot, or using something.” He specifically highlighted his excessive love for wine as a point of concern. Further, in 2019, he revealed to The New York Times that he spent a year and a half attending an all-male Alcoholics Anonymous recovery group. In 2020, he publicly thanked fellow actor Bradley Cooper for his crucial support in his sobriety journey. Given this timeline, and his current statement of seven years sober, it appears Pitt has been off the wagon for at least a couple of years.
### “Family Stuff” Triggers Suicidal Thoughts
Beyond his struggle with sobriety, Pitt disclosed a deeply personal and painful chapter, admitting to experiencing suicidal thoughts during a period of intense “family stuff” – a clear reference to his ongoing divorce and custody battles with Angelina Jolie and his strained relationship with their six children.
“I’ve never been suicidal except for one little period,” Pitt confessed. “And in that one little period, I just thought — I just couldn’t — just didn’t see a way out.” He described the overwhelming nature of the pain, stating, “The pain was so oppressive that – I wasn’t going to act on this, but I could feel – I could feel the cold steel of the bullet in my head, and it felt like relief.”
Pitt articulated his chilling realization about the motivation behind suicidal ideation: “And I thought, ‘Oh, okay, now I understand’ – I understand suicide, in the sense that it’s just relief. It’s just looking for relief from the pain.'” He credits his “incredible survival instincts” for ultimately pulling him back from the brink, adding a poignant note: “This s**t ain’t easy. And you’re talking to a guy who won the lottery.”
When asked directly if these suicidal thoughts were triggered by “kid stuff,” Pitt clarified, “Family stuff… We could leave it at that.” This subtle yet definitive statement underscores the immense impact of his family disputes on his mental well-being.
The ongoing “family stuff” revolves around his acrimonious divorce from Angelina Jolie, which began in 2016 when Jolie filed for divorce and sought full custody of their six children: Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and twins Vivienne and Knox. She cited an alleged abusive incident involving Pitt and their children as a primary reason for the separation. Over the past decade, reports indicate a growing estrangement between Pitt and his children, with nearly all six reportedly pursuing legal avenues to remove “Pitt” from their surnames. This public airing of his personal battles offers a rare glimpse into the profound emotional toll these highly publicized and protracted legal proceedings have taken on the acclaimed actor.
