Why Dax Shepard Doesn't Hide His Past Addiction Struggles From His Kids

The following article includes mentions of drug and alcohol addiction.

Actor, comedian, and podcast host Dax Shepard has always been an open book when it comes to his past struggles with addiction — including a relapse in 2020 after nearly sixteen years of sobriety. "I was high at the meeting having people tell me they admire my sobriety," he revealed during a candid episode of his "Armchair Expert" podcast in September 2020 about attending a party to celebrate his 16 years of sobriety. "It was the worst thing in the world," he confessed. 

Following the relapse, however, Shepard eventually came clean to his wife, Kristen Bell, his co-host Monica Padman, and all of his podcast listeners. "The huge gift that the 16 years did give me was, I used to be able to gaslight people daily, and it didn't bother me. And I've had a good 15 and a half, or maybe more, of maybe not gaslighting people, and I just don't have that tolerance for it," he explained. 

And as it turns out, that goes for his two young daughters, Lincoln and Delta, as well. "They knew when I relapsed. We explained, 'Well, Daddy was on these pills for his surgery and then Daddy was a bad boy and he started getting his own pills,'" he told former first daughter Chelsea Clinton during an appearance on her podcast, "In Fact." But why exactly is Shepard so candid with his young children about his addiction struggles? Here's what he and Bell had to say.

Mum is NOT the word in the Shepard-Bell household. "I hate the word 'taboo.' I think it should be stricken from the dictionary," Kristen Bell told Real Simple in February 2023 (via People). "There should be no topic that's off the table for people to talk about," she insisted. And yes, that goes for her husband and the father of her children's addiction struggles too. "I know it's shocking, but I talk to my kids about drugs and the fact that their daddy is an addict and he's in recovery. And we talk about sex," she said matter-of-factly. 

And as it turns out, the family has learned to have a good chuckle about these topics along the way. In September 2021, Shepard told Chelsea Clinton that he keeps his daughters abreast of his twice-weekly AA meetings. According to Dax Shepard, "one of the cuter moments" occurred when his oldest daughter, Lincoln, was only three and asked him why he had to go to his AA meeting. "I said, 'Because I'm an alcoholic and if I don't go there, then I'll drink and then I'll be a terrible dad,'" he recalled. "And she said, 'Can I go?' I said, 'Well, no, you got to be an alcoholic.' And she goes, 'I'm gonna be an alcoholic.' I said, 'You might become one. The odds are not in your favor, but you're not there yet.'"

Fortunately, in the event either of Dax Shepard's children ever do struggle with addiction, they have a great resource in him, partly due to the family's open-door policy where they can talk about anything. In fact, during an episode of his "Armchair Expert" podcast, he told his guest and fellow actor Rob Lowe that when the time comes, he will encourage his daughters to experiment with recreational drugs — to an extent. "I am pro my children doing mushrooms at some point," he declared. 

The actor also shared that "long-lasting creative advantages" may come from doing recreational drugs.  "I'm gonna tell my girls to do shrooms and to smoke pot and to drink, and just don't do cocaine or opioids," he added. "If you don't do those two things, you'll likely be able to do all the other ones for the rest of your life. But if you get involved with those two, it's probably gonna end the party — or, at least, it did for me."

Perhaps honesty really is the best policy!

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).