Whoopi Goldberg opens up on being a 'very high-functioning addict' in her new memoir

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Whoopi Goldberg candidly shared insights into her journey from a "very high-functioning addict" to pivotal moments that led her to sobriety in her new memoir 'Bits & Pieces: My Mother, My Brother and Me'.

'The View' host reflected on her past struggles with cocaine addiction in the 1980s during her talk on Tuesday, May 7 with ET.

Whoopi Goldberg says success in Hollywood led her to substance abuse

Recalling the moment she considered sobriety, Goldberg said, "Well, it was very simple -- do you want to die or do you want to live? Very simple."

Admitting that her success in Hollywood did not shield her from the throes of substance abuse, the 68-year-old said, "I was making a lot of money and I had a lot of access to things I didn't really need to."

She then found herself in the "position of making the decision, 'Do you want to live or do you want to do this for the rest of your life?'"

Despite her achievements through the success of 'The Color Purple' in 1985 and 'Sister Act' in 1992, she realized that her substance abuse had gradually threatened to consume her life.

"And I was like, 'This is way too much to take on, so I decided to get straight. And I did. And we're good. I like the idea of living."

Whoopi Goldberg's emotional memoir sheds light on her mother's struggles

In her latest book, the actress also pays homage to her late mother, Emma Harris, and her brother Clyde Johnson.

In August 2010, Goldberg's mother died after a stroke, and five years later, her brother died from a brain aneurysm.

The comedian shed light on the profound impact of their untimely deaths and said that sharing their stories became a cathartic process for her, according to ET.

"I didn't know if now was the right time to tell the story. It was just what I decided I needed to do. It wasn't like a big revelation, and I think it's just because I was starting to forget some stuff, you know?" said Goldberg.

"The book isn't really about me. It's about the trio of people, and so I wanted to hold on as long as I could and kept writing stuff and this came out," she added.

Goldberg's new memoir 'Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me' was released on 7 May 2024.