John Mulaney: What to Learn from Addiction Struggles

Comedian John Mulaney has had many wins in his life. He released a successful Netflix comedy special, welcomed two children with his wife, actress Olivia Munn, and released a show called Everybody’s Live. But his life hasn’t always been smooth. Mulaney has spent several years dealing with addiction and relapse. Here’s everything known about John Muaney’s drug struggles.

John Mulaney and Drugs: A Brief Overview of His Struggle With Addiction

Has John Mulaney done drugs? The answer is yes, and he shares his addiction experiences often.

His addiction problems started early in life. Mulaney began to have a problem with drugs and alcohol at age 12, but he was a high-functioning and secretive addict. Mulaney’s parents never suspected anything because he kept his grades up.

“I really was like, ‘I’m going to keep my grades up and keep up appearances,'” he says. “I also didn’t smoke pot. It was like I was an uptight, wanted-to-get-good-grades, wanted-my-teacher-to-like-me person… . And then on the weekends, [I] would drink like Keith Moon, and you know, take Ambien to see what it would do.”

Mulaney tried cocaine and prescription drugs at 13 and developed a problem quickly.

He’s not alone. Adults who begin drinking alcohol before age 15 are 3.6 times more likely to have an alcohol use disorder later in life compared to those who wait until age 21 to drink.

Mulaney continued to abuse alcohol and drugs for many years before going to rehabilitation for the first time to get sober.

His Rehab Stint: The Road to Recovery

John Mulaney was sober for 15 years. Unfortunately, in December 2020, John Mulaney’s addiction reared its ugly head. He started to abuse cocaine at dangerous levels. The comedian recalled that it felt like he “very much tried to tell everyone.” He left his apartment door open, almost hoping to get caught.

Luckily, friends stepped in, and there was a John Mulaney intervention. It worked.

He voluntarily checked into a rehabilitation center for alcohol and cocaine abuse. A source close to the Mulaneys said at the time that it “was a relief to his wife and family that he checked in … John has always been engaged in his sobriety. The relapse got ugly, but it was his choice to go to rehab, which saved his life.

Life didn’t immediately improve. Around the same time, his then-wife checked herself into another rehab facility for depression.

John Mulaney left rehab in February 2021, split from his wife in May 2021, and, by November 2021, welcomed a baby boy with his new girlfriend, Olivia Munn.

He’s remained sober ever since. Because of his past, he and his partner have agreed to an arrangement that works for them to establish trust. Mulaney’s wife occasionally asks him to take random drug tests. The comedian supports this system, saying, “It’s like a relief. I like to be able to not even have that be a question in her or anyone else’s mind. Something about peeing in that cup is like, I’m walking this walk. It gives me confidence.”

How Mulaney Has Addressed His Addiction Publicly

Mulaney began talking publicly about his struggles with addiction in 2012. That year, he released a comedy special in which he spoke about his decision to stop drinking many years ago. He joked, “I used to drink too much, and then I would black out, and I would ‘ruin’ parties, or so I’m told.”

The comedian has often used his personal story in his career. His comedy acts frequently focus on tales of his past substance abuse and recovery journey. In one of his specials, he jokes about being 2 hours late for his intervention and being the best-looking person in the room.

Mulaney uses humor to cope with his addiction, and it works well for him. It’s helped him become successful and sell out big arena shows.

Still, Mulaney is careful to avoid glamorizing or downplaying his past. He can make fun of himself while highlighting the desperate place he was in and the importance of the friends who stood up for him.

He’s always been open about his addiction and continues to talk about his past and recovery in interviews.

The Importance of Support and Seeking Help

What led Mulaney to recovery was his intervention and rehabilitation. Rehab wasn’t easy, but he powered through because he knew he needed to get clean.

Mulaney shared in an interview, “The actual detox from drugs was very physically uncomfortable, and I’d been on a lot of benzodiazepines like Xanax and Klonopin. Getting off those can be very rough. I was in the detox hospital room, and I was grinding my teeth so much that a molar cracked.

Recovery was difficult, and Mulaney wanted to leave just 4 days after entering rehab. But he stayed, got sober and left when he felt he could handle life again without support.

Lessons From John Mulaney’s Journey: What We Can Learn About Recovery

Today, Mulaney has a wife, two children and a booming career. Life is better than ever. Even though Mulaney relapsed over a decade after achieving sobriety, he proved that anyone can get better, and a relapse doesn’t have to be the end.

Deep down, Mulaney wanted to get better, and he didn’t bother to hide his relapse very well. When his friends noticed and intervened, it was the push he needed to seek professional help. It’s quite possible the intervention saved his life.

Mulaney has shared in interviews how all-encompassing addiction can be. “Addiction is just a disaster. Life is like a wobbly table at a restaurant, and you pile all this [stuff] on it, and it gets wobblier and wobblier and more unstable. Then drugs just kick the … legs out from under the table.”

He may be returning the favor of his recovery by sharing his story publicly. While he’s turned it into comedic material, sharing such a vulnerable story still takes courage.

Someone struggling with a relapse may hear the comedian’s story and feel reassured that recovering is possible and worth it. Or, after hearing how vital an intervention was for Mulaney’s recovery, an individual may find the courage to stage an intervention for a loved one.

By being so candid with his struggles, Mulaney is helping to destigmatize addiction and educate his fans.

Addiction Recovery at FHE Health

If you or a loved one struggles with addiction, it’s critical to seek professional help. FHE Health is a top-tier rehabilitation center helping hundreds of patients overcome their mental health and substance abuse challenges. Contact us today to learn more about our addiction treatment programs.