Melanie Griffith 'Starving the Monster' of Addiction

By PopEater Staff Posted Apr 21st 2010 06:48AM

Melanie Griffith entered rehab for the third time last August, and the Oscar-nominated actress has found new strength in her ongoing struggle to stay sober. "Addiction's a tough enemy to defeat," Griffith tells ¡Hola! magazine (via PEOPLE). "I think of it as a monster. If I feed it, it will always want more and more, so now I'm letting it starve to death in a corner. But it's always there."

Griffith, 52, has struggled with substance abuse for decades and says medical treatment has helped her kick the habit. "Now I feel free," she says. "I don't drink. I don't take pills. Nothing. And it's fantastic. It's like getting out of prison."

Antonio Banderas, who has been married to Griffith for nearly 14 years, says that seeing his wife through her addiction has brought the entire family closer. "There were people who literally didn't give us more than six months!" Banderas says. "But we love each other, and above all we love our family. We've figured out how to get past obstacles ... and if you get past those, you only get stronger."

The actress sought treatment over the summer at the Cirque Lodge in Utah. "She is there to reinforce her commitment to stay healthy," her publicist Robin Baum told Star magazine at the time. "This is part of a routine plan that was designed between her and her doctors years ago."

Comments

(23)

Wednesday 21 April

By themeeker

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I think it's a tragedy what she has done to her looks with all of the bad plastic surgery. She looks like a surprised deer in the headlights...and not in the good way.

By Mike

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Looks like they forgot BRAND-X on the No-Drink list. Cheers to the Joker!

By cassideee2

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@themeeker: Oh, I couldn't agree more. She does look horrible. Whatever happened to allowing oneself to age gracefully? I guess she was afraid of the effects the drugs and alcohol would have on her face (big effects, I'm sure) so decided to look like a cartoon character instead. Sad, she was so beautiful, too.

By Granny

I was just thinking the same thing. She looks plastic. She always had a natural glow about her now it looks like it hurts to smile. But you go girl! One day at a time!

By bill

"Melanie Griffith talks" OMG, runs away holding palms to his ears. Can she get plastic surgery for that voice? Listening to that woman talk for more than 30 seconds will cause anyone to start using drugs. The voice, no not that voice yaaaaaaahhhhhh, (runs away).

By sookie

Good for her. Addiction is a nightmare. I understand that something like 90% of alcoholics will die from it or from a condition related to it. Most never seek help; among those who do, the relapse rate is extremely high. So I applaud Ms. Griffith for meeting this head on.

By Lassie

What does she have on Antonio B., to keep him so loyally married over all these years?

By fbb23451

She's starting to resemble the "cat lady". USH!

By Kay

She definitely needs to lay off the plastic surgery!!

By david

SHE MAY BE STARVING THE DRUG MONSTER, BUT THE COOKIE MONSTER HAS GOT HER HOOKED. LOOKS LIKE SHE'S JONESING FOR A COOKIE DOUGH FIX RIGHT NOW. CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP.

By carlady220

wow........poor thing......why is it with people who can do anything in life.......anything because of what family they were "born" into.........screw their life up......we are supposed to applaud someone who has a very priviledge life and can't get her sh*t together.....how about getting high on life, your children, your family.....how about instead of popping pills or getting drunk, go out into the "real" world and help someone who really could use a hand......

By Belladonna

Bravo! Here, Here! These poor unfortunate rich, spoiled celebs.
In stead of using their money to get high they should spend it to help the less fortunate. Then they would feel better about who they are!

By plastic not so fantastic

She needs to take her doctors advice to stay clean. She needs to not follow Mickey Rourke's advice and use his plastic surgeon LOL

By Catherine

Addiction IS a monster, and it does not ever go away. You always want it. The rest of your life. Kudos to this brave lady and her kind husband.

By Mike Hunt

The Joker called. He wants his lips back.

By JennyT

Good for her & good for Antonio, hard issues to deal with and a hard problem to kick. Melanie Griffith has worked HARD at staying sober. It can be done! Good for you Melanie keep it up.

By Ronin

Saw Melanie on the final episodes of Nip/Tuck. I don't know what you fools are talking about but she was so hot.

By nymphadora

Loved Melanie in "Something Wild", which captured a wonderful moment in the 80's. Sometimes you just have to love people for their sheer determination to hang in there.

By slvrlining

Kudos to Melanie for realizing what a "monster" addiction really is. I've seen it devour (and kill) friends & family alike. It's an equal opportunity disease that wants to see you DEAD. Keep up the good work, Melanie :)

By Muscleman

I think she looks pretty damn good, and better-looking than 90% of you trolls dissing her on an article that you should be APPLAUDING her for fighting her demons. And I can say that cuz Im better-looking than most of you too. Take that.

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