Brandon Cole “Bam” Margera, famously known for his main role in the early 2000’s hit television show and movie franchise, “Jackass”, announced earlier this week of his plans to start the 2019 New Year off on the right foot by entering alcohol rehab. Margera posted to his Instagram page on January 1st, declaring his decision to, once again, attempt to get clean. His post, which contained a loving photograph of him holding his infant son, was captioned, “Off to alcohol rehab for the 3rd time. I am hoping the term 3rd time is a charm is true.”
This will be the second January in a row that Margera enters a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. At the start of 2018, just days following his DUI arrest in Los Angeles, CA, Margera checked himself into rehab to address his drinking problem.
Consequences of Margera’s Substance Abuse
Margera’s DUI arrest resulted in three months’ probation. Later in the year, following his arrest, Margera gave a detailed explanation of what exactly happened that night.
“Last fall, I attended a surprise Jackass reunion at the Rainbow Bar and Grill in Hollywood where, as you can imagine, the beers flowed all night,” Margera said. “Long story short, as I drove away from the party, not knowing where I was headed, I pulled over to try and figure it out. That’s when I noticed the police lights behind me. I was like, ‘F***, I’m pulled over.’ As it turned out, the police had actually pulled someone else over right behind me, and then came to my car to see why I was just sitting there. So yeah, I had the pleasure of getting a DUI that night that led to my being in a treatment center for a month.”
After completing a month stent in treatment, Margera was allegedly sober for seven months until he was robbed at gunpoint in a taxicab in Colombia, which according to him, prompted him to crack open a beer.
Margera detailed the incident in a video, in which he said:
“I just arrived in Cartagena alone and I took a taxi, a random one, from the airport to here and I wouldn’t speak Spanish, they couldn’t speak English, and they translated on their phone to read ‘empty your wallet’ as they put a gun on their lap to show it to me. So I did and I had 500 bucks. They let me go. Welcome to Colombia.”
This was, without a doubt, a traumatic experience for Margera and is what’s thought to be responsible for him falling off the wagon. However, fellow “Jackass” castmate, Steve-O, stated that he believed Margera may have already engaged in alcohol use prior to the robbery, but if not, then Steve-O believes Bam was well on the road to relapse.
” … I just think that there were signs that, if he hadn’t already drank, it was evident that he was going to,” Steve-O said. “The signs were there. I think if you’re a sober alcoholic that you kind of can tell.” Steve-O is in recovery himself and is a close friend to Margera.
Recognizing Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Recognizing the signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse and drug dependence is crucial. This can help determine the need for treatment and prevent the substance use disorder from digging its claws any deeper into a person. Addiction is a chronic disease that takes hold of its victims, keeping them hostage in its powerful, sometimes unbreakable, grips. Bam Margera is sadly proof of this. Fortunately, when life gets tough for Bam, and when he relapses, it seems to be only a matter of time before he realizes the need for help and actually acts on it.
It is never easy to admit when you have a problem, and it can be even more difficult to ask for help. Margera shows strength and promises through his determination to never give up on his sobriety. Like many in recovery, he has experience relapse and failure, but his ability to recognize the need for change and achieving a healthy way of life is commendable.
Finding Certified Substance Abuse Treatment
If you or someone you love is struggling with alcoholism or drug addiction, there are several credible options available for help. Overcoming substance abuse and addiction is not something anyone should do or can do on their own. Do not wait another day to seek out the help you or your loved one needs. If you are ready to turn your life around and enter drug and alcohol addiction treatment, call us today. Speak with one of our addiction treatment specialists for more information on our top-rated drug rehab programs. Your recovery journey is only a phone call away. Visit our alcohol rehab center in Thousand Oaks, CA at 6918 Owensmouth Ave Canoga Park, CA 91303. 24/7 Admissions (818) 722-9019. On-Site Contact (818) 806-3914.
