Diff’rent StrokesAlum Todd Bridges Talks 32 Years of Sobriety: ‘I Couldn’t Be the Same Guy Anymore’

Mar. 15, 2025

Todd Bridges at the 2023 Power of Influence Awards Presented By NAACP on April 22, 2023.Photo:Erika Goldring/Getty

Erika Goldring/Getty

Todd Bridgesis proud of the work he’s put in to reach three decades of sobriety.

TheDiff’rent Strokesalum, 59, appeared on the latest episode of theAllison Interviewspodcast and opened up about what finally clicked and allowed him to reach 32 years sober.

“I couldn’t be the same guy anymore,” he explained to host Allison Kugel. “I got tired of doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, and getting the same results.”

“I remember when I was in the rehab program, and this light came over me and God said, ‘I’m going to put people in your path and you just listen to what they tell you, do what they tell you to do and don’t question it, and you will be sober for a long time.’ That’s exactly what happened and I finally got it.”

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Todd Bridges.Christopher Willard/ABC via Getty

Christopher Willard/ABC via Getty

Bridges explained that when you’ve been sober for as long as he has, it’s no longer a daily struggle. It’s a struggle “staying in touch with your feelings and emotions because the drug is just a symptom.”

The actor recalled the trauma in his life that ultimately led to his substance abuse.

“Going through all of that, I developed a chip on my shoulder and I became angry with everything around me,” he added.

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“It’s making people feel like I’m just out there running amuck and I’m not,” he said on the show. “I’ve been sober for 32 years. The mistake I don’t make is relapsing. I won’t make that mistake again.”

In addition to his work on theEverybody Hates Chrisanimated spinoff, Bridges also recently launched a podcast,Dang!,alongside his wifeBettijo. In Septemeber 2024, he told PEOPLE that he’s glad to be focused on the positive in his life.

“I just think that God has me right where he wants me, and I’m okay right here,” he said.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.

source: people.com