Zac Efron admits his battle with drugs and alcohol is a "never-ending struggle."
The 26-year-old actor, who sought treatment in rehab for addiction twice last year, was humiliated when his "mistakes" were made public, but believes he "needed to learn everything I did."
He told The Hollywood Reporter magazine: "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."
The ‘Neighbors’ star is currently seeing a therapist and recently started attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, as he is determined to get his life back on track.
He said: "I just started going. And I think it’s changed my life. I’m much more comfortable in my own skin. Things are so much easier now."
He added: "No matter who you are, you face challenges growing up. You go with your things, you learn, you have to. It’s impossible to lead an honest and fulfilling life as a man and not make mistakes and ‘fess up to them when you need to. But it’s especially humiliating when they happen to be so public and so scrutinized."
The ‘High School Musical’ star – who also wrestles with anxiety and insomnia – felt under a lot of pressure to be a role model after achieving success at an early age.
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."
Zac Efron: Sobriety is a ‘never-ending struggle’
