How Rehab, Sobriety, And Diet Transformed Jenna Jameson

Jenna’s Journey To Recovery And Sobriety Included Rehab And A New Diet

Jenna Jameson may be best-known for her work in the adult film industry and the New York Times best-selling book that followed, but today the 45-year-old mother-of-three just wants to focus on her sobriety and staying healthy – for herself and for her family.

“In the beginning, it felt like defeat,” Jameson said in a video posted to her YouTube channel in 2016 titled ‘My Sober Journey’. “It was scary.”

Jameson’s initial experience with addiction began when – during her most recent pregnancy – she was diagnosed with pregnancy-induced migraines. The Sugar author describes the high volume of prescription painkillers her doctor was prescribing to take care of the debilitating pain, which soon led to a dependence.

Addiction And Depression

Prescription Opioids like Oxycodone and Hydrocodone (sold under brand names like Percocet®, Vicodin®, and OxyContin®) can become habit-forming, even when taken as-prescribed by a doctor. After only 5 days of regular use, the risk for chemical dependency increases dramatically. Among patients prescribed 8 days’ worth of pills, 13.5% were still taking them a year later.

That really spiraled into a pretty gnarly addiction, and I decided that my life is better lived sober. Therefore, I pushed myself to get clean.

Yet, as many people who have undergone their own recovery journeys can attest, sobriety isn’t without its setbacks. Jameson, after struggling to quit opioids for years on her own, felt herself “starting to slip into a bit of an alcohol addiction.” What started with a few glasses of champagne and wine, eventually turned into a dependence on alcohol to feel better.

“Then, as my life got a little more chaotic and a lot of sadness set in, I started drinking to curb that. And, I knew it was getting bad when I started drinking alone.”

A significant percentage of adult entertainers report high levels of trauma, depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and suicidal thoughts. Stressful experiences often lead people to substance abuse in an attempt to self-medicate, feel better, and try to forget or avoid life’s problems. Known as co-occurring disorders, substance abuse and mental health disorders can exacerbate each other, potentially resulting in fatal overdose or suicide attempts.

The Transformative Power Of Sobriety And A Healthy Lifestyle

Seeing the damage alcoholism was having on her body and mind, Jameson enrolled herself into addiction treatment at the Hazelden Betty Ford drug rehab.

“In the beginning, it felt like defeat… It was scary.”

The detox and inpatient treatment Jameson received at Betty Ford changed the course of her life. After “chipping out” (a term people in recovery use to indicate “graduating” from an addiction treatment program successfully) on St. Patrick’s Day, Jameson felt ready to begin her life anew – healthy and focused.

Talking about her addiction, Jameson says, “It’s a really scary thing. It’s not really accepted in society. There are a lot of misconceptions.”

From the minute I walked into my group meetings, I felt at home and I felt accepted.

“I was worried I couldn’t lose the weight sober,” she wrote in 2018. “I’m being real with you. When I was in my addiction it was easy to stay thin. Sobriety and being overweight was new to me. I kept telling myself if I could beat addiction and stay sober, I can easily lose the weight… and I did. The healthy way.”

Today, Jameson says she still attends meetings, tagging #aa and #na (acronyms for Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous) in a recent post about her weight loss journey.

“Sobriety has taught me a lot about myself, my coping mechanisms that I ignored came bubbling to the surface quickly after getting sober. That scared me. Everything I knew was wrong. Everything I believed in was hurting me, not helping. Meetings and leaning on my Sober friends like @mrs__shay made things bearable the first year. I was surviving. Sober. It was shocking at first, but now it’s my new normal,” she said via an Instagram post.

She attributes the transformation her worldview and body have undergone to not just sobriety, but exercise and the keto diet (a low-carb, high-fat regimen). Maintaining a routine and being mindful of triggers to use drugs or eat helped Jameson drop over 50 pounds (going from 187 to a healthy 130 pounds). “As of today, I can say my mental game is STRONG. I feel I can do anything, I conquered abuse, addiction, PTSD and depression.”

Kickstart Your Own Journey To Sobriety

If you or a loved one are struggling to maintain a healthy lifestyle and are worried about the risk of drug or alcohol addiction, talk to a treatment provider today for more information.