Alcohol became a way to manage his anxiety and insecurity.
“If I was frightened, it gave me Dutch courage. I felt confident and sexy and in charge… none of those things I felt in my life.”
Hitting Rock Bottom
McCarthy first stopped drinking in 1989 before filming Weekend at Bernie’s, but staying sober proved far more difficult than simply quitting.
Temptation returned while filming overseas, and eventually his addiction spiraled once again.
He later described several years of his life as painful and largely lost to alcohol.
At his lowest point, he collapsed on a bathroom floor while suffering through a severe hangover, realizing he could no longer continue living that way.
He also admitted experimenting with cocaine during the 1980s, although he said alcohol remained his primary addiction.
Choosing Recovery
Everything changed in 1991.
At just 29 years old, McCarthy checked himself into rehab and committed to sobriety.
That decision became one of the most important turning points of his life.
Rather than returning to Hollywood’s party scene, he began rebuilding both his personal life and career.
