Peggy Bundy was the sassy antidote to every housewife stereotype on TV: Loud, brash, and unapologetically lascivious. The actor who superbly personified her, Katey Sagal, also had an unconventional life, albeit in a far more harrowing way. Ever since she was a teenager, Sagal struggled with drug use, which began after a family doctor gave her diet pills when she was just 14, per "Grace Notes."
As Sagal recalled to ABC News, it was her multiple family tragedies that exacerbated her addiction. When she was 21, her mom died of a heart attack. Then, just a few years later, her father was killed in a freak helicopter accident when he was filming a TV series. "My way of dealing [with] things in the moment was to very much check out, was to kind of anesthetize myself, numb myself," she told the outlet. Sagal hid her drug addiction, but her burgeoning acting career also motivated her to get sober. One day, she met a woman on a TV set who was going through a similar experience; her advice helped to completely transform Sagal's life. After speaking to the woman, Sagal discovered that sobriety was a pathway entirely within her grasp.
In a chat with Bustle, she revealed that within just two months of getting sober, she landed her role on "Married...With Children." Accordingly, the show aided her recovery from addiction. "I stayed sober, and watched all the people around me, and I learned how to do what I do now," she stated.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
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