Substance abuse is like a bad marriage: Prateik Babbar
Actor Prateik Babbar, while speaking about dealing with drug addiction, said substance abuse is like a bad marriage. "[E]ven after you quit, it haunts you for a while till people start noticing the turnaround," he added. Prateik further said, "Addiction is not a moral failing, it doesn't make you a bad person even if you have made a poor choice".
It took him five years and lot of courage to openly speak about his battle with drug addiction. After making a promising start in Bollywood, Prateik Babbar vanished from the limelight for a good five years. His absence might not have caught anybody's attention, but his return has grabbed many eyeballs. And why not? For the first time, the 30-year-old actor has openly spoken about his battle with substance abuse. When many actors shy away from talking about their issues, Prateik has come out in the open, talking about his his long battle with addiction. In an interview to Mumbai Mirror, the actor talked about addiction, recovery and his career. This is what he said. On addiction He has come to terms with complications of his life and has fought the demons of substance abuse. It was last year when he first talked about his drug addiction, and in the last one year, he has been a "work in progress". "Addiction is not a moral failing, it does not make you a bad person even if you have made a poor choice. People still think I got hooked because it was 'cool' for a celebrity to indulge in recreational drugs. But for me, it was more of an escape from reality. My childhood was complicated and there were a lot of questions I didn't have answers to so I looked elsewhere for solace," said Prateik.  On acceptanceIt took him a while to understand that he was an addict, and he needed to get out of it as soon as possible. "Acceptance and speaking up can help change the face of addiction. It educates those who are ailing and tells others that the stereotype of people suffering is the exception rather than the rule. Acceptance is one of the first steps to recovery," added the actor. On coming outPrateik came out in open about his addiction as he didn't want to keep his fans in the dark. He wanted them to be aware of the dark truth of his life. "I'm a fighter and criticism is not an option for me. Yes, one is entitled to his/her opinion and it's human to be judgmental but everyone deserves a second chance. The idea is to move on. I want to create awareness by showcasing the boy uninterrupted so the world doesn't get to see just one side of the story," said the 30-year-old actor. On recoveryIt has taken him a few years to get back to his normal life and he says that with each passing day, he is making an effort to better his life. He said, "I'm still on the road to recovery but I'm proud to have turned over a new leaf. Substance abuse is like a bad marriage, even after you quit, it haunts you for a while till people start noticing the turnaround. I'm answerable to only my conscience. And yes, people take me more seriously now that I'm no longer the hippie rave but someone committed to fitness, auditions and family."On his careerHe began his career with the 2008 film Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na, and went onto bag a few promising roles in the subsequent years. However, it's been almost five years since Prateik has been seen on the big screen. But the actor is all set to bounce back. "I'm looking for quality work and am not embarrassed to go out and ask for it. I'm also doing a lot of theatre with Jeff Goldberg because I believe it polishes your acting skills," he added. 