Michael J. Foxs Struggle with Alcohol After Parkinsons Diagnosis in 1991

May 2024 · 2 minute read

Actor Michael J. Fox reveals how he struggled with alcohol after he was diagnosed with Parkinson?s in 1991

Renowned Canadian-American actor, Michael J. Fox, recently disclosed his battle with alcoholism following his diagnosis with Parkinson’s disease.

The documentary “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie,” premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on Sunday, January 22, shedding light on Fox’s denial and depression in the first seven years after his 1991 diagnosis.

Fox shared that he began taking dopamine pills to manage his symptoms while working on film and television projects.

These pills are commonly used to address the loss of dopamine in Parkinson’s, which leads to tremors and other uncontrolled movements as neurons progressively deteriorate over time.

He admitted to self-medicating with alcohol to cope with the medication, strategically timing his intake to maintain his acting abilities.

According to USA Today, Fox confessed in the documentary, “Therapeutic value, comfort – none of these were the reason I took these pills. There was only one reason: to hide. I became a virtuoso of manipulating drug intake so that I’d peak at exactly the right time and place.”

Fox achieved sobriety 30 years ago and publicly revealed his diagnosis in 1998. Subsequently, he established the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research in 2000, dedicated to finding a cure.

The documentary, slated to air on Apple TV+ later this year, documents Fox’s advocacy work, career, and personal life, capturing his doctor visits and even moments when he falls.

At the premiere on Sunday, January 22, Fox’s resilience in the face of the debilitating brain disorder garnered a standing ovation from the audience.

Reflecting on the film, Fox told Variety, “When I look at the film, the thing that screams at me with how lucky I’ve been and how successful my life has been is the stuff with my family. It’s such joy.”


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