Noah Centineo reflects on sobriety after years of 'doing a lot of drugs' amid rise to fame: 'So unhappy'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Noah Centineo recently reflected on his journey toward sobriety, revealing how his early rise to fame coincided with heavy alcohol and drug use.

Speaking on the 'Chicks in the Office' podcast on February 3, the 'To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before' star shared how, despite financial stability and career success, he felt deeply unhappy.

Noah Centineo opens up on his substance use

Speaking about the difficult phase in his life, Noah Centineo admitted, “I was so unhappy."

“I was able to pay my bills for the first time. I was completely financially stable and secure. I was working regularly, and I was doing a lot of drugs," he continued.

"Nothing crazy. I was doing drugs a lot. And drinking all the time, every day, and I was young,” he added.

At just 20 years old, Centineo had already spent years engaging in substance use, according to E! News.

Despite outward appearances of success, he struggled internally.

“I had a career that I was proud of. I was making enough money to pay my rent and put a little bit away. You would think I should be super stoked and super happy, and I just wasn’t,” Centineo shared.

Noah Centineo's turning point in sobriety

Noah Centineo began his sobriety journey at 21, but admitted he started drinking again around the release of 'To All The Boys: Always and Forever' in 2021.

However, he soon realized he no longer wanted alcohol in his life.

“One day I woke up and the world looked different,” the 28-year-old actor explained.

“It felt like something had broken a little bit, and it scared me. I realized that I needed to dry out, sober up and take a look at myself and take inventory to see what that change was. And to get back to myself,” he recalled.

Noah Centineo's inner battles

Noah Centineo acknowledged that substances often serve as a way to avoid difficult emotions.

“If you’re drinking, you don’t really have to worry about things. It’s a good way to numb yourself or self-medicate. And then you have to find healthier ways to deal with those things,” he said.

Now, Centineo has channeled his focus into fitness and self-care.

“Right now, I’m in one of those phases where I’m just not really doing anything, and you just work out,” he shared.

“And try and connect with yourself and take care of yourself as best as you can. Cause life’s trippy,” he added.

Centineo shared that a key part of his healing process has been reconnecting with his childhood and the sources of his early happiness.

“I was lucky enough to ask the question, ‘Why was I so happy when I was 11 or 12 and what changes have I made? And since then, what has led me to be unhappy?’” he said.