‘I Thought Cocaine Was My Escape’ – Elton Opens Up About His Addiction
Elton John’s life has significantly calmed down in recent years. Though he continues to create new music, John now values time with his family over the tireless work that once defined his career.
For decades, John’s life was a whirlwind, filled with constant pressure to deliver hit albums, perform in sold-out arenas, and maintain his status as a pop superstar.
While this lifestyle offered luxury, it also came with immense challenges. By the 1970s, Elton was the biggest pop star on the planet, and the stress of staying on top led him to unhealthy coping mechanisms—particularly substance abuse.
John’s journey with drugs, especially cocaine, is a painful chapter in his life. For nearly 20 years, he was dependent on the drug, which initially seemed to help him escape his social anxieties.
However, the recreational use quickly spiraled into addiction, with devastating consequences. Elton has since described how the drug made him lose touch with his true self, despite initially feeling liberated by it.
“This is the drug that has opened me up,” he once reflected. But the reality was far darker—he would suffer seizures, turn blue, and yet, minutes later, return to using.
Fortunately, John survived those years, but he is deeply aware of how close he came to a tragic end. In retrospect, he sees this period as his greatest regret.
During a conversation with Charlie Puth for LadBible, Elton expressed shame over his drug use, stating that if he could change one thing about his career, it would be to avoid drugs altogether.
Though he continued to work during his addiction, he believes it hindered some of his best creative output.
John’s road to recovery took time, and it wasn’t until the loss of a close friend to HIV that he truly began to re-evaluate his life. The friend’s bravery and lack of complaints despite their illness contrasted sharply with John’s own behavior at the time, and this realization became a turning point.
He recalled complaining about trivial matters, like hotel décor, and feeling ashamed of himself compared to his friend’s resilience.
That moment sparked a deep transformation. Today, John no longer sees himself in such a negative light, a change he attributes to getting sober.
Sobriety, he says, was the best decision he ever made, allowing him to prioritize his life, embrace his true self, and leave behind the destructive mask that drugs once provided.
