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Ben Affleck Was ‘Struggling’ and ‘Wanted Help’ Before Going to Rehab (Exclusive)

Ben Affleck knew it was time. As his demons continued to loom, the Oscar winner decided to check into rehab on Wednesday, August 22.

Related: Celebrities Who Have Been to Rehab

“Ben has been struggling, and it got to a point where he wanted help and knew he needed help,” a source tells Us Weekly exclusively.

Ben-Affleck-rehab
Ben Affleck is seen in Los Angeles on August 16, 2018. Bauergriffin.com / MEGA TheMegaAgency.com

Right by Affleck’s side was his estranged wife, Jennifer Garner, who helped stage an intervention at his bachelor pad in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles with the help of a sober coach. “Jen has always been there for Ben,” the source says.

Related: Jen and Ben’s Divorce: Everything We Know

Multiple sources confirmed to Us late Wednesday that Garner, 46, drove the Justice League star, 46, to a rehab facility in Malibu. They stopped at a Jack in the Box on Pacific Coast Highway along the way.

Affleck has struggled with alcoholism for years. He first went to rehab in 2001 before returning in early 2017. Since then, he has continued to attend Alcoholic Anonymous meetings.

Prior to the actor’s latest stint, a source told Us exclusively that the Alias alum had been stalling their divorce case. The estranged couple — who share daughters Violet, 12, and Seraphina, 9, and son Samuel, 6 — announced their separation in June 2015 and filed for divorce in April 2017.

Related: Celebrity Health Scares

“Jen wanted to give Ben the time and opportunity to work on his health and sobriety,” the insider told Us earlier this month. “She isn’t in a rush. … She wants what’s best for the kids.”

Affleck recently began dating Playboy model Shauna Sexton following his split from his girlfriend of more than a year, Lindsay Shookus.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

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