Answer Addiction

Tag: ben affleck sober

  • Ben Affleck, One Year Sober, Is “In A Great Place”

    Ben Affleck, One Year Sober, Is “In A Great Place”

    The Triple Frontier actor, who completed a 40-day stay in treatment for alcoholism last year, is doing well.

    Actor Ben Affleck is officially one year sober, after a long-time battle with alcoholism. After a successful 40-day stint at a treatment center, the actor-director is now healthy, happy and dedicating himself to his loved ones.

    “Ben is in a great place both in his recovery and life,” someone close to Affleck told People. “He continues to want to be the best father and friend he can be.”

    This is especially true for actress Jennifer Garner, Affleck’s ex-wife, and the three kids they had together: 13-year-old Violet, 10-year-old Seraphina, and 7-year-old Samuel.

    “He and Jen do amazingly well at co-parenting the children,” reveals People’s source. “They have shared a great summer with the kids doing outings, travels, etc. They have a very trusting and special relationship… Ben’s relationship with Jen is strong. She’s really supportive of Ben, and they work very closely on parenting their kids.”

    Self-Care

    The key to his happiness lies in being able to find time to take care of himself.

    “Ben has found balance between his work and home life,” told the source. “He remains committed to a number of treatment and wellness methods that focus on his health.”

    Affleck’s most recent leg of rehab became public knowledge when he was spotted in a car with Garner, who was driving him to a treatment center on August 22 of last year. It would be Affleck’s third time in.

    The actor went public about his struggles the following October in a post on Instagram.

    Going Public

    “This week I completed a forty-day stay at a treatment center for alcohol addiction and remain in outpatient care,” wrote Affleck in the post. “Battling any addiction is a lifelong and difficult struggle. Because of that, one is never really in or out of treatment. It is full-time commitment. I am fighting for myself and my family.”

    He spoke more about his struggles on Today earlier this year, speaking about how he lives with alcoholism but is determined to not let it define him.

    “It doesn’t have to subsume my whole identity and be everything but it is something that you have to work at,” he said.

    Now, he’s clear-minded and spending more time with his children.

    “He is really enjoying his summer with the family,” another source told People. “Ben was just doting over his kids.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Ben Affleck Clarifies Support For Refuge Recovery's Noah Levine Amid Misconduct Allegations

    Ben Affleck Clarifies Support For Refuge Recovery's Noah Levine Amid Misconduct Allegations

    Affleck lauded Levine with professional praise as part of a trademark lawsuit being brought against the Refuge Recovery founder.  

    Amid allegations of sexual misconduct against Buddhist teacher Noah Levine, the founder of the non-profit addiction treatment program Refuge Recovery, actor Ben Affleck has come to his defense.

    The actor, who is in recovery, spoke highly of Levine in a statement reported by The Blast.

    “Working with Noah and his Refuge Recovery program has, quite literally, turned my life around,” said Affleck. “Today I am sober, happy, healthy and have custody of my three children. All of those things are a result of having Noah in my life. I don’t know what I would have done without him.”

    Affleck described Levine as being “without a doubt the person with the most integrity, the most honor, the most genuine compassion and the least motivated by self-interest I have ever known.”

    He said that Levine was “a gift not only to me, but also to the many scores of people I have personally known who he has helped, in addition to the thousands more he has reached through his books and the Refuge Recovery program he created.”

    Refuge Recovery, which has been covered on The Fix, is grounded in the belief that “Buddhist principles and practices create a strong foundation for a path to freedom from addiction.”

    Affleck Testifies

    Affleck clarified to The Blast that his statement regarding Levine was part of his testimony in a trademark legal dispute between Levine and Refuge Recovery, the organization that has since removed him from the Board of Directors.

    Levine and Refuge Recovery are suing each other over the use of the “Refuge Recovery” name, which according to the original non-profit organization was being used inappropriately by the Buddhist teacher.

    The organization was “deeply concerned about several conflicts of interest caused by Mr. Levine” through his use of the organization’s name for his book and a for-profit treatment center business.

    “Under federal and state laws, a non-profit business cannot benefit any one individual or business entity, if they in any way control the non-profit. The consequences for this could be fines and/or potential loss of non-profit status,” the organization said in a statement.

    Affleck said that his relationship with Levine was “strictly professional” and stated that he “was not and am not aware of what allegations have been made against him.”

    According to Good Times, an LAPD investigation “did not find enough evidence to bring charges against Levine” but an investigation by Against The Stream (ATS) another non-profit that he founded, determined that he had “likely broken the group’s rules,” and the group was closed by September 2018.

    According to The Blast, a police report was filed against him by an anonymous woman but “no charges were ever filed.”

    Levine’s Response

    Levine issued a statement in response to the allegations of sexual misconduct.

    “I take full responsibility for anything that I have actually done… To the women who have come forward and expressed a sense of suffering because of interpersonal experiences with me, I am sorry I caused you harm and I ask your forgiveness,” he stated.

    “It is important to me that any woman who felt harmed, now feels heard. I want to understand. It matters… This has been a very painful way to wake up to the reality of who I am and how I am seen by others.”

    Despite everything, Levine says he’ll continue his work.

    “I have every intention of carrying on with my calling and mission, that is to practice the Dharma, to embody wisdom and compassion as best I can and to share the teachings of the Buddha with all who are interested to receive it.”

    View the original article at thefix.com