Jodie Sweetin's Confession About Addiction Battle She’s Been Holding For Decades

Jodie Sweetin is pulling back the curtain on one of the most startling and little-known moments from her childhood, revealing how her struggle with addiction began years before the public ever knew. The "Full House" alum, now 43, is opening up about the first time she ever drank alcohol, a moment that unfolded when she was just 14 years old and attending co-star Candace Cameron Bure’s wedding. Sweetin, who has spent decades navigating alcoholism, drug addiction, recovery, and relapse under the intense glare of the spotlight, says the experience marked the beginning of a long and painful battle she would fight publicly for years. The actress, best known for playing Stephanie Tanner on the beloved sitcom and its Netflix reboot "Fuller House," is now reflecting on her past with rare honesty, detailing the childhood drinking incident that she describes as “awful,” “ugly,” and “embarrassing,” as well as the years of substance abuse that followed.

In a candid conversation on "The Skinny Confidential" podcast, the 43-year-old "Full House" alum reflected on the first time she ever drank alcohol. Sweetin revealed she was just 14 years old when she had her first blackout, and it happened at co-star Candace Cameron Bure’s wedding.

“It was at Candace’s wedding, and I was just a blackout drinker,” she admitted, calling the experience “awful,” “ugly,” and “embarrassing.” She recalled her mother being “horrified” as she sat across the room, unaware her daughter was quietly drinking glass after glass. “They would pour a glass of wine… and then they’d get around to pouring more, and I was like, ‘I’ll take a little more, please.’”

Despite feeling terrible the next day, Sweetin said something inside her “clicked.” “I was like, ‘Ooh, that was fun,’” she remembered, a moment she now recognizes as the beginning of a dangerous path.

Jodie Sweetin said she began to notice by age 15 or 16 that the way she drank and partied didn’t match her peers. “My friends were like, ‘What, bro? Settle down,’” she recalled. Instead of slowing down, she sought out people who would normalize her behavior. “I’ve got to go find somebody that I can do these drugs with,” she said of her mindset at the time.

As fame faded after "Full House" ended in 1995, Sweetin turned to substances to fill the void. She has previously shared that what began as drinking to escape boredom and loneliness eventually spiraled into cocaine, crystal meth, and ecstasy use.

Jodie Sweetin noted that although millions struggle with addiction, the fact that she was a former child star made her journey feel more “sensational.” She told listeners that she believes she would have had addiction issues regardless of fame, but acknowledges that her early career gave her access to treatment resources she otherwise might not have had.

Still, the public nature of her struggle added a layer of difficulty. “It’s very hard when you have to make all your mistakes publicly,” she said.

Jodie Sweetin's path to long-term sobriety was not straightforward. After going to treatment in her 20s, she later relapsed, found stability, relapsed again, and continued fighting for her health.

“I had gone to treatment in my 20s, and then I had kids, and then I got sober, and then I drank again and then I got sober,” she explained. She shared that she has now been sober from alcohol for 16 years, and it has been 13 years since she last relapsed on medication following a car accident.

Even after all the headlines, Sweetin insists she is “more than a salacious story," and her honesty about her past remains one of the most powerful parts of her advocacy.

Today, Sweetin stands on the other side of a journey that was anything but easy, choosing honesty over shame as she continues to speak openly about addiction, recovery, and resilience. Her willingness to revisit the darkest chapters of her teenage years and early adulthood offers a rare, unfiltered look at what long-term healing actually looks like.

Sixteen years removed from alcohol and more than a decade past her last relapse, the former child star is proof that rebuilding your life is possible.

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, help is available. You can contact the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for free, confidential support 24/7.