Zac's Honesty About Addiction Is Refreshing

It's refreshing to see a celebrity speak openly and with candor about addiction, isn't it? Too often, we see stars stumble down a bleak path, denying any past problems or only speaking in vague terms about their struggles. This rings particularly familiar when it comes to former Disney stars ... but not with this former High School Musical star. Zac Efron spoke candidly about his former alcohol addiction to The Hollywood Reporter and it's certainly refreshing to hear him honestly discuss his struggles. It solidifies just how well he's doing.

What's really charming is how he graciously admits that he made some mistakes, and that he is, indeed, to some extent a role model. It's an involuntary part of being a celebrity, but it certainly comes with the title. He said:

When you have success young, and you accept the good things, you have to accept all of it. You have to accept the moments of glory but also a great responsibility. And that responsibility, to some degree, involves being a role model. At the same time, I'm a human being, and I've made a lot of mistakes. I've learned from each one.

And he went on to discuss his drinking habits:

I was drinking a lot, way too much [...] It's never one specific thing. I mean, you're in your 20s, single, going through life in Hollywood, you know? Everything is thrown at you. I wouldn't take anything back; I needed to learn everything I did. But it was an interesting journey, to say the least.

But what's most interesting about it all is how seamlessly he's made his way back into not only the limelight with a movie that looks like it's going to be pretty damn great, but how he's transitioned into living a healthy lifestyle without sacrificing his presence in the media. Even though he admitted that addiction is "a never ending struggle," he attends Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and has recently started seeing a therapist. Regarding therapy, he said:

[...] I think it's changed my life. I'm much more comfortable in my own skin. Things are so much easier now.

Instead of partying, he now works out, eats healthily, and gets in bed by 9 p.m. (I'm jealous!) And despite that very carefully regimented lifestyle, he still has time to joke about his thoughts on dildos and a silly little game called sack-tapping.

We couldn't be happier for the guy.