Whoopi Goldberg Describes Her Terrible Cocaine Addiction and How She Came Clean in Her New Biography

Whoopi Goldberg, in her upcoming memoir Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me, candidly discusses her past battle with cocaine addiction. Despite a prior stint in rehab before her rise to fame, she found herself grappling with the drug's hold on her.

"I had stayed pretty far away from drugs, except for pot, after getting cleaned up in the early 70s," Goldberg wrote. The actor recalled, "I was invited to parties where I was greeted at the door with a bowl of Quaaludes from which I could pick what I wanted. Lines of cocaine were laid across tables and bathroom counters for the taking." Goldberg recounts how, during social gatherings, there was a pervasive sense of impunity among attendees, believing that the homes of prominent figures were safe from police scrutiny. During this relaxed environment, cocaine became a fixture, with people underestimating its impact and believing they could handle it. Amid this relaxed environment, cocaine use became widespread.

As Goldberg's challenges mounted, the Sister Act star found herself grappling with hallucinations. In her memoir, as revealed by Page Six, she recounted a distressing incident where the actor believed she saw a creature lurking beneath her bed. Fearing the creature might harm her if she moved, the actress remained immobilized in bed for a full day. "That kind of **** doesn't end pretty. There's only so long a person can hold their bladder," she said. Fortunately, The View panelist and host, Goldberg acknowledged her addiction while staying at a Manhattan hotel. Caught in the act of using cocaine by a housekeeper, she was confronted with the stark reality when she saw her drug-smeared reflection in a mirror.

Goldberg acknowledged her fortune in being able to break free from drug use swiftly. Acknowledging the importance of declining invitations and distancing herself from certain relationships, she emphasized in her memoir her readiness to make these sacrifices, motivated by a deep-seated desire for survival. Goldberg, known for her role in Star Trek, views herself as fortunate, reflecting in her memoir on her ability to swiftly break free from drug use despite understanding the challenges of quitting cold turkey. "I knew I’d have to change out my friends and turn down invitations but I could do that. I didn’t want to die," the veteran star recalled. 

In her book, Goldberg described herself as a 'heroin addict' in the 1970s. Her first husband, Alvin Martin, also the father of her daughter Alex, served as her drug counselor during this time, according to The Sun. She elaborated that upon moving from New York to California to pursue her acting ambitions, she found herself deeply immersed in the glamorous world of Hollywood, ultimately succumbing to cocaine addiction as a result, but finally was back on track and free.