Rey Mysterio discusses his stint in rehab and his painkiller addiction that he would overcome.
Substance abuse is no new problem in professional wrestling, with many stars having issues with painkillers and other drugs. One star who unfortunately had to overcome their addiction is Hall Of Famer Rey Mysterio.
While speaking on the Impaulsive podcast, Rey Mysterio was able to open up about his battles with addiction. It turns out that Mysterio dealt with a painkiller addiction that could have taken over his entire life.
“So during my big run in WWE and after so many surgeries, I got hooked on painkillers for a very long time. My wife caught me one time. We were on vacation. She saw that I was just out of it completely, so she gave me an ultimatum. She goes, ‘So when we get back home, you can either take your pills or you can take your family. You choose.’
That really opened me up and it made me a stronger person because I remember getting back home to San Diego, I flew to TV, and the next day, I spoke to Vince. I told him, ‘Boss I need to check myself in. I’m gonna need some time off.’ He was cool with it. He was like, ‘It takes a f*cking man to man up to what you’re doing.’ That was a big life changer for me and a different perspective of life and the appreciation of family and the support of my wife. It’s crazy.
She’s been there from day one. She went to my first match. It was bad, and to be able to recognize it, and check yourself in, and put everything aside and move on with your life to a positive note, it was crazy. I really enjoyed that phase of my life because I learned so much of what not to do. I was there for 30 days. I haven’t told that story before. Another thing that was really big to me was that my kids were young. Dominik was maybe 10 years old, 12? My daughter was very young. I was really bad prior, but once I eliminated all that toxic mindset, clean.”
“I came home and the doctor gave me painkillers. I took one, and throughout the night, because they had to drill two holes, my knee, I remember it was the worst pain I’ve ever felt from the surgeries that I’ve had in the past. I would tell my wife, ‘No, I’m not gonna take anything. I’m not gonna take anything.’ and I controlled my pain as much as I could until she said, ‘I can’t stand watching like that.’ So it was pretty bad. I remember I was balling out with this. She actually had them so she controlled everything, but I didn’t want to take them.”
Rey Mysterio
Rey Mysterio is currently still involved in a feud with his son Dominik and Judgement Day. We will have to see what comes next for the luchador.
H/T to Ringside News
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