Drew Barrymore Wasn't Allowed Sugar In Childhood, Weed And Alcohol Were 'Totally Fine'

Drew Barrymore's childhood was anything but normal. At the age of 6, she entered the world of stardom with her role in Steven Spielberg's "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial." She spent her childhood as a child actor, but also partying and visiting rehab by the age of 12. The actress, 47, recently opened up about her unconventional childhood in the debut edition of her new podcast, "Drew's News," with guest, and fellow former child actor, Rob Lowe, who she's know most of her life.

The two old friends discussed various news stories before talking about Canada's Candy Funhouse seeking a chief candy officer. That led to Lowe talking about sugar and the kids who were deprived of sugar who would sneak it behind their parents' backs. Lowe said, "Beware the kid who tells you the parents don't let him have sugar." Barrymore added, "By the way, you're so right. You're so right, cause my mom wouldn't let me eat sugar. Studio 54, and weed, and alcohol - totally fine. But don't touch that sugar."

Barrymore went on to explain that while other bad habits happened "out in the open," sugar happened behind closed doors, closet doors to be exact. "I snuck chocolate in the closet," she said.

Last December during a visit to "CBS Mornings" to discuss her upcoming interview with Machine Gun Kelly on "The Drew Barrymore Show," the talk show host opened up about her sobriety revealing she hasn't had a drop of alcohol in two-and-a-half years. Barrymore said she has always "been very private with a lot of my struggles." And while she didn't elaborate on her decision to become sober, she said, "It was something I realized just did not serve me and my life."

The actress is mom to two daughters, Olive, 9, and Frankie, 8, with ex-husband Will Kopelman. Barrymore and Kelly discussed mental health during their interview, and Barrymore explained that she sought help for her mental health after her 2016 divorce. "I wasn't doing very well, and I just wanted to go talk to some people and how to pull myself out of a hole, and I had these two kids that I had to figure for and I needed help." She continued, "I started reaching out to different people and eventually, I really made some big, sweeping changes in my life, and I got on a whole new track - not back on track, but a brand new one that I helped build."

In early 2021, Barrymore revealed that she spent 18 months in a psychiatric ward at the age of 13. She revisited the facility on an episode of her show. "Life is so wonderful compared to what it was in this place. I can't even believe I actually get to be where I am now because I was here. I didn't see that, I thought I would be here forever," she said at the time of the visit. "I never thought I was going to make it to somewhere better and I am just so happy with my life and I don't know if I would have the life I have if it wasn't for a place like this. So it was so important to come here today and just like honor this."