Demi Moore was in crisis. But thanks to the help of "two people who I barely knew," she got her life back on track.
The actress spoke about her struggles during an acceptance speech after receiving a woman of the year award from Peggy Albrecht Friendly House, the Los Angeles recovery center and sober living program that celebrated its 29th annual awards luncheon on Oct. 27.
"I feel like there [are] defining moments in our lives that shape who we are and the direction we go and early in my career, I was spiraling down a path of real self-destruction and no matter what successes I had, I just never felt good enough," Demi, 55, explained, according to reports from Us Weekly and Variety.
"I had absolutely no value for myself and this self-destructive path, it very quickly led, brought me to a real crisis point," she added. "And [the reason] wasn't clear at the time. Maybe it was divine intervention, but two people who I barely knew stepped up and took a stand for me and presented me with an opportunity, which I guess was more like an ultimatum — unless I was dead, I better show up."
Demi did not explain the nature of her self-destruction, but it has been reported that she struggled with drug addiction not long after she found fame in the early '80s. People magazine has previously reported that Demi was abusing drugs and alcohol as she worked on movies like 1982's "Parasite" and TV shows like "General Hospital," on which she starred form 1982 to 1984.
1984 is also the same year she divorced first husband Freddy Moore — and when she booked the movie that would change the course of her career: "St. Elmo's Fire," which co-starred several other members of the Brat Pack. "But when director Joel Schumacher discovered the extent of Moore's dissolute ways, he threatened to fire her," People wrote years later. "That did it. Moore promptly entered a rehab program and arrived on the set two weeks later clean and sober. She never looked back."
In her award acceptance speech on Saturday, Demi said that the ultimatum she was given "gave me a chance to redirect the course of my life before I destroyed everything. Clearly, they saw more in me than I saw in myself and I'm so grateful because without that opportunity, without their belief in me, I wouldn't be standing here today," she told the audience.
Demi concluded, "Life is certainly not a straight line and I think everybody here has dealt with not feeling good enough at some point in their lives. I know that in a moment of great struggle for me, I reached out to a wise teacher and I expressed my fear that I wasn't good enough and she said, 'You will never be good enough but you can know that value of your worth. Put down the measuring stick.' So today, I put down the measuring stick and I thank you for this beautiful acknowledgment and the opportunity to know the value of my worth."
In 2012, Demi made headlines after she was transported to a hospital after collapsing at a party, reportedly because of substance abuse issues. She was said to be struggling to cope with the fallout of her divorce from Ashton Kutcher at the time. People magazine reported that sources close to both Demi and Ashton had claimed Demi's prescription drug use was a contributing factor in their split.
Multiple outlets reported that she entered rehab again in 2012 — Demi's camp's official explanation was that "because of the stresses in her life right now, Demi has chosen to seek professional assistance to treat her exhaustion and improve her overall health entered treatment for exhaustion" — but according to E! News, Demi went to Cirque Lodge in Sundance, Utah, to seek treatment for an eating disorder and addiction issues.
The day after the award ceremony, Demi took to her new Instagram account to thank her three daughters with ex-husband Bruce Willis, her good friend Amanda de Cadenet, other loved ones and Friendly House for honoring her.
"So grateful for the love and support of friends and family even my furry family! Ru @rumerwillis Scouter @scoutlaruewillis and my Boo @buuski seeing your beautiful smiling faces-you are what makes my heart worth beating. Everything I do is for you!" Demi wrote in part. "Thank you my dear friend Amanda @amandadecadenet for presenting me with this beautiful honor and bringing your strength beauty depth intelligence and deep loving. Having you there was like being wrapped in a warm blanket of love and safety."