Y&R Alum Abhi Sinha Opens up About His Battle With Addiction
Please join us in congratulating THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS alum Abhi Sinha (ex-Ravi) on celebrating three months sober. The actor opened up on Instagram about his battle with addiction and his journey to getting clean.
“July 10, 2023, I checked into rehab,” Sinha revealed. “What started out as occasional wee use, some hard drug experimenting, and social drinking, eventually turned into an uncontrollable addiction. An addiction that was not only expensive financially, but cost more than just money.
“I can’t pinpoint an exact incident, time, and date when I started to spiral out of control,” he continued, “but starting with my parents’ separation in 2013 to the end of a seven-year relationship during the pandemic, many triggering events occurred in between: One of my best friends OD’d; I had to put down my beloved dog before he turned three; a couple months later, my other dog was shot and killed; I lost a job I loved and was really good at. I was written off unceremoniously, and without explanation. When these events occurred in succession, I never properly dealt with the pain it caused. Instead, I tried to numb it because being in an altered state made me feel good. Perhaps I was lying to myself and in reality, it helped me to not feel bad.
Sinha confessed that over time, his drinking grew worse and he found himself drinking before work and auditions. “I believed it enhanced my creativity and made me less inhibited,” he admitted. “I fooled no one but myself. My addiction resulted in fractured relationships with the most important people in my life, in lost opportunities, in self-hatred, in low self-esteem, in imposter syndrome, and in a series of toxic relationships. It would have eventually cost me my life. That was my rock bottom.”
Thankfully, the actor was able to get the help he needed. “I am an addict,” Sinha declared. “But addiction is a symptom of deeper mental health issues that need to be addressed. I am fortunate to have been in a facility that focused on not only addiction but mental health as well.
“Today, I am 91 days clean and sober,” he proudly announced. “I have an incredible support system. Friends who have become family. Family whose trust I have regained. All the pieces of myself that I never imagined would be gone have come back like magic. And a wiser, stronger me is certainly staring back in the mirror. For the first time in my life, I’m living in gratitude every single day. I can’t remember the last time I was this happy. I am focusing on finding my ‘Ikigai.’ [A Japanese concept referring to something that gives a person a reason for living.] There’s no looking back now.”
In the comments to his powerful and emotional post, Sinha offered help for others who are currently struggling in the same way. “If you or anyone you know is suffering from addiction, please reach out to me,” he urged. “I am committed to paying it forward. There are programs/people who are available and want to help. You should never feel alone or hopeless.”
