'Suits' Star Patrick J. Adams Reveals Journey To Sobriety After 'Drinking Too Much' While Filming
Patrick J. Adams has opened up to fans about his previous issues with alcohol abuse, and has revealed that he's maintaining his sobriety.
The former "Suits" actor appeared on the Nov. 26 episode of Jesse Tyler Ferguson's "Dinner's On Me" podcast, where he reflected on his decision to stop consuming alcohol and the steps he took.
Adams — known for playing the lead role of Mike Ross on USA's "Suits" — discussed the state of his mental health at that time, concluding that he came to the realization while filming the series.
"I wasn't taking good care of my mental health, and I was drinking too much come the end of the seventh season," the star told Ferguson. "I was in a zone of living a pretty unexamined life. It was pretty miserable. I would say, pretty depressed."
"I didn't have the tools to deal with that depression beyond just spending money and drinking too much," he continued. "There are all these things I knew I needed to probably be doing and wasn't doing them."
Patrick J. Adams exited "Suits" early after hitting a "breaking point" in his personal life: "I was drinking too much" and "pretty miserable."
— Variety (@Variety) November 26, 2024
"I didn’t have the tools to deal with depression beyond just spending money and drinking too much, and not really knowing how to talk… pic.twitter.com/lafMVcLXGm
Adams — who left the series in 2018 — held no punches, openly admitting exactly when he started to notice unhealthy patterns in his behavior, his process in taking accountability, and taking his mental health seriously.
"I was still trying to live my life as a 25-year-old and doing my patterns of like how I would numb myself, take care of myself and deal with my insecurity and my fears," he explained. "They just weren't working. They were taking a toll on my relationship, for sure, but also just making me a very not present father."
The actor continued: "That for me was a breaking point when I was like, 'I think I should stop drinking probably 'cause I don't want to be that dad. I was missing it, but the best thing I think I ever did for myself was stop drinking. It just needed to happen in order for all these other things to happen."
Adams — who is married to former "Pretty Little Liars" actress Troian Bellisario — told the host that becoming sober helped to change every aspect of his life. When it comes to his wife, family, and physical health, he maintains that "I just couldn't have done any of it if alcohol was still in the picture."
He and Bellisario share two daughters — Aurora, 6, and Elliot, 3 — which Adams admits are a big part of his will to become more reliable. The actor explained that his positive life changes have contributed to his ability to stay focused and keep from drifting.
"I have this new beautiful existence with new relationships," he added.
