Certain things, like someone’s mental and physical health, are decidedly none of our damn business. That includes Ben Affleck, who recently checked into a rehab facility for alcohol addiction. But some people have decided to put the blame on model Shauna Sexton, whom Affleck had been dating prior to his check-in. Sexton adamantly denies being a negative influence on Affleck’s sobriety but, for the record, she shouldn’t need to defend herself against anything.
After they jumped into her Instagram comments, Sexton shut down any notion of causing Affleck’s flare-up. “I love to drink and party! Absolutely dude. Most 22 year olds do,” she wrote as a reply to comments on a post, because naturally, the internet began blowing up her mentions. “Never drank around or with him for the record. Do these mistakes mean I would disrespect someone’s hard-earned sobriety by drinking with them or in front of them? Hell no. I have limitless respect for those who take action and actually do something about it.” We’d also like to note that even if Sexton did drink around Affleck, it is none of our business and has nothing to do with his recovery.
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Addiction relapses are very common. The National Center for Biotechnology Information estimates long-term relapse rates among rehabilitated individuals to be as high as 80%. It’s extremely difficult to abstain from substances through recovery; in fact, many people with substance abuse disorder consider relapses to be a symptom of their illness, and consider their recovery to be a lifelong process for this reason. It isn’t an indication of any moral failing, on the part of the patient or the people in their lives. Targeting Sexton does a huge disservice to the conversation about addiction — and, in the end, it does nothing to help Affleck. Fans should consider offering their support and compassion to Affleck instead.