Staying clean from drugs and alcohol allows freedom to experience life unfettered, unaltered. Yes reality brings pain, pleasure, sadness, happiness and all the other combinations, but it is what true living is.
Unfortunately fame = money = messed up thinking. Most famous people are totally messed up mentally and they deal with it by trying to escape reality. Most actors spend so much time playing other people, they don't even know who they really are so that messes them up even more. We will continue to read about these types that seemingly have the world as their oyster, yet inside they are a disaster, killing themselves every week or month. Each time it happens I have less of a reaction as it seems to be par for the course for these types.
I liked his acting, he threw it all away for a cheap false thrill the first time he dabbled. Sad he made that choice.