Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard are one of the most beloved couples in all of Hollywood. Their honest and open approach to marital bliss has endeared them to their fans and made them a true power couple.
But it hasn’t always been easy. Recently, Dax Shepard revealed that he suffered a relapse and had begun abusing opiates. In the wake of Dax’s admission, Kristen has decided to speak out on how the situation is impacting their marriage.
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Dax Shepard first made the decision to get clean and sober a little more than 16 years ago.
Dax struggled with cocaine and alcohol addiction for years before making the conscious decision to get sober back in 2004. Eight years into his sobriety, Dax was in a bad motorcycle accident, which coincided with the news that his father had been diagnosed with cancer.
Struggling to cope with the physical, as well as the emotional pain, Dax turned to opiates (Percocet) for the first time in his life. He quickly began to spiral downward and turned to his wife for guidance.
Kristen recommended that Dax reach out to someone in AA. She stressed that this was a bump in the road and that she had full faith in Dax’s recovery.
Another eight years went by without incident and Dax seemed to be doing great. Then, in 2019, Dax was in yet another automobile accident — this one involving an ATV.
The injury caused him to once again fall off the wagon. Only this time, when the Percocet prescription ran out, Dax began buying 30 mg pills of oxycodone off the street. By his own admission, Dax was taking roughly eight pills a day.
During an interview with Self magazine, Kristen explained how Dax recognized that he was in trouble and came to her for help right away.
“I mean, he admitted it so quickly,” Kristen said sounding surprised. “It was like, ‘I did something that I don’t want to do. I’m going down a bad road. I want help. I want your help,’ and I looked at him and I said, ‘Okay, you come up with the new math .’”
This “new math” as Kristen calls it, functions like a new set of ground rules or restrictions for Dax’s behavior.
In order to beat his addiction, Dax gave Kristen complete authority to call him out on absolutely anything at any given moment.
Kristen is hesitant to use the word ‘control’ and instead prefers to think of it as Dax giving her complete privilege or authority over his person. She explained that Dax was incredibly forthcoming and even went out to purchase several at-home drug tests .
Dax explained to Kristen that she could drug test him whenever she felt compelled, day or night, and he would comply — no questions asked. According to Kristen, Dax felt safer knowing he could be tested at any time.
As of yet, Kristen says that she hasn’t felt the need to exercise the privilege.
Kristen says that Dax is dedicated to his sobriety and that she commends him on how hard he’s trying to beat his inner demons.
While Kristen admits that her husband may not be perfect, she told Self magazine that “He’s proven to me that he is committed to evolving and he loves personal growth .” And that in the end, that’s all that she can really ask for or expect.
Kristen was asked why she and Dax chose to be so honest with their struggles, and said she felt it was her responsibility.
Kristen Bell is many things but she most certainly is not superficial. She could have chosen to keep the personal details of her life hidden from the public, but that’s just not how she operates.
The celebrated Veronica Mars star believes that we all have a responsibility to try and make the world a safer, brighter, and more honest space for everyone. And that if all she did was present perfection 100% of the time, that it would be dishonest.
Honesty is the foundation of Kristen and Dax’s marriage — it’s the life blood of their relationship.
Kristen doesn’t have any false fairytale illusions when it comes to love or marriage; she says that it isn’t as simple as finding the perfect partner. For her and Dax, marriage is a constant give and take — like working on a puzzle wherein new pieces keep appearing, year after year.
As long as they remain dedicated to their shared goal and keep the lines of communication open, Kristen knows that she and Dax will always come out on top.
