Philip Seymour Hoffman's tragic death left many in mourning, and has moved others to share their own struggles with addiction. Jason Wahler, the former MTV reality star from The Hills, has opened up about his past demons once again, urging critics to realize that addiction is "more than what meets the eye."
"A few years ago, I would host parties at my house in LA where there would be 50-100 people raging out of control. While everyone thought I was enjoying the party as much as they were, little did they know I was secretly going into the master bathroom and snorting as much coke and drinking as much alcohol as I could," Wahler, 27, wrote in a HuffoPo essay on Feb. 6. "When I was done, I would grab a beer and get back into the party as if nothing happened."
"When I heard of Philip Seymour Hoffman's death, it brought me right back to those days of partying where my addiction was so bad that I didn't care who was around, how loud the music was, or how fancy the party was," he continued. "It wasn't about the party at all — all I cared about was using and escaping reality even if it was by myself in a bathroom."
Wahler has publicly addressed his alcohol addiction before, and appeared on Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew in 2010. After Hoffman was found dead at 46 on Feb. 2, with 65 heroin bags found in his apartment, Wahler felt the need to speak up and defend those critical of the Oscar winner's disease.
"I immediately began seeing comments all over the Internet about Hoffman's reported overdose — remarks to the effect of 'it's his own fault,'" he wrote. "I truly believe that addiction is preventable, but I also know that it can get so complex that addicts won't go get help, but instead cry out for it."
Wahler's past struggles contributed to his split from Hills costar Lauren Conrad in 2006. He also had six alcohol-related arrests over three years and admitted last October that he contemplated suicide several times in his darker times. But luckily, Wahler — who tied the knot with model Ashley Slack last October — seems to want to make a change this time around.
"I have witnessed just how close-minded some people can be when it comes to addiction, and combined with the passing of Philip Seymour Hoffman, it only drives me to keep pushing to raise awareness," he continued. "It's my hope that his passing isn't in vain, and that I can continue to educate more people about how important it is to not only get into treatment if necessary, but also to continually stay connected to prevent relapse."
