This Is How James Taylor Overcame His Drug Addiction

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By Scott Williamson/Jan. 3, 2022 1:58 pm EST

Singer and songwriter James Taylor's drug problem was something that plagued him for years. He reportedly found himself under the influence of various substances after a rough home life marred by his father's alcoholism, as well as mental health issues that actually led to institutionalization (via JamesTaylor). Taylor stated in an interview with Billboard that he was first exposed to heroin by a bandmate, which led to years of addiction to not only it but also codeine, cocaine, alcohol, and experimentation with other substances such as acid (via Rolling Stone).

His addiction followed him abroad when he tried a variant of opium in London and (in his opinion) potentially contributed to John Lennon's addiction after giving the Beatles star heroin in 1968 (via The Guardian). He was in and out of rehab facilities and had several periods of sobriety before he was back to using drugs. Yet 1983 marked the beginning of over 30 years of sobriety, which have allowed him to focus on his career and family life.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Exercise and determination

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Per outlets such as Oprah's Master Class, James Taylor has discussed how he put addiction behind him. It was the mindset of wanting to get better in the first place that Taylor largely credits to his recovery, which was a difficult process as the withdrawals took their toll, as they do in many. For him, one of the biggest aids in overcoming them was shifting away from methadone treatments, which had gone from a heroin treatment to a major source of addiction in and of itself, to intense physical/aerobic exercise.

According to MedMark, this is not only healthy for people in general, but recovering addicts can improve their ability to avoid relapsing since it helps speed up the healing of neural damage as well as improve heart and lung health. Taylor has said that exercise helps distract him from the "agitation and anxiety" that his withdrawals can generate, allowing him to avoid renewed drug and alcohol use (via Men's Journal).