Jax Taylor Opens Up About 20-Year Cocaine Addiction, Rehab, and His Sobriety Journey
Jax Taylor Opens Up About 20-Year Cocaine Addiction, Rehab, and His Sobriety Journey
Jax Taylor is getting real about his struggles with addiction, revealing he has battled cocaine abuse for over two decades.
During the March 4 episode of Alex Baskin’s Hot Mic podcast, the Vanderpump Rules alum, 45, admitted for the first time that he is an addict, reflecting on his substance use, his rock bottom moment, and his commitment to recovery.
Jax Taylor Admits to Struggling With Cocaine Addiction for 20 Years
“I am an addict,” confessed.
“I have substance issues — primarily with cocaine. It’s hard to say out loud,” he admitted. “I’ve been dealing with this on and off since I was 23, and now I’m 45. There were times where I would stop doing it, but then there were times where I’d go heavy on it.”
Jax, who first appeared on Vanderpump Rules in 2013, acknowledged that fans had suspected his drug use over the years.
“[They] could kind of tell I was on something. Obviously, production and other people didn’t know what I was doing,” he shared. “Everything I was doing was on my own, but I was just on that train and I couldn’t get off.”
Jax Taylor Says Sobriety is His Longest Streak Without Drugs or Alcohol
To help him stay clean, Jax has also given up drinking, acknowledging that alcohol fueled his drug use.
“I don’t necessarily think I have an alcohol problem,” he explained. “But the two go hand in hand. I can’t do cocaine without drinking. So I just gave up both.”
“I’m proud to say I’m 83 days sober right now, which is the longest I’ve ever gone in my life without either.”
Jax Reflects on the Dark Side of Drug Use
During the interview, Jax opened up about the brutal aftereffects of his addiction.
“The next day is the worst. You feel like absolute garbage. You feel at the bottom of the barrel,” he admitted. “You have zero serotonin. You are just angry and depressed. Anybody who’s done cocaine will tell you the next day is brutal. It’s weird why we do it for two hours of fun, and then the next 48 hours are miserable.”
Jax Taylor Says Divorce Escalated His Addiction
Jax revealed that his divorce from Brittany Cartwright made his addiction spiral even further.
“This year was probably the hardest year of my life,” he said. “I’m going through a divorce right now, which is extremely difficult. When Brittany and I separated in 2024, that’s when the addiction got worse.”
“I’ve been doing it for a long time, but it got worse during my divorce and separation. I literally lost control. I hit rock bottom and had to go to rehab.”
Jax Taylor Talks Rehab and His Breaking Point
Jax revealed that he checked into rehab twice before getting sober.
“It didn’t happen the first time. It happened the second time,” he admitted. “The first time, I put up a little bit of a fight. The second time, I knew I had to go back.”
His wake-up call came when he had a heated fight with Brittany while their son Cruz was in the backseat.
“The worst part about all of this — and this is why I checked myself in — is that my son was in the backseat,” he shared.
“That’s when I knew that I have a problem and it’s still there.”
Jax explained that after his first rehab stint, he stayed sober for a week or two, but his second stay was different.
“This time, I was really ready to change,” he said.
Jax Taylor Reveals Bipolar Diagnosis
Jax also opened up about his mental health struggles, revealing he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and PTSD in 2024 after checking into treatment.
“When my marriage was getting really bad towards the last three years, Brittany was like, ‘You need to get help,’” he recalled.
He initially brushed it off, self-diagnosing himself as depressed and getting prescribed medication without a proper evaluation.
“To get her off my back, I went to my family physician,” Jax admitted. “I go, ‘Listen, my wife thinks I’m depressed. I am a little bit depressed. Can I have some medication for it?’”
After taking Lexapro, he realized it wasn’t helping — it only made his anger issues worse.
It wasn’t until he entered inpatient treatment that doctors gave him a proper bipolar and PTSD diagnosis.
Jax Says He’s Focused on Sobriety for His Son
Jax is determined to stay on track for his son, Cruz, 3.
“[I am focused on] one day at a time. The big thing here is my son. He’s my drive and he’s my number one motivation for this,” Jax said.
“I was going to lose custody. I was embarrassing my ex-wife and embarrassing myself. Nobody was taking me seriously.”
Where Jax and Brittany Stand Now
Although Jax is committed to his sobriety, he admits that his relationship with Brittany remains rocky.
“We had a little bit of a blowup last night. It’s daily. It changes,” he said. “One day she’s happy, one day she’s mad. I never know what I’m going to get with her.”
Despite their ups and downs, Jax moved just a mile away to stay close to Brittany and Cruz.
“I wanted to always be there for her. Even if and when she starts dating again, I’ll always still be there,” he said.
When asked whether he sees himself getting back together with Brittany, Jax didn’t hesitate.
“Unfortunately, no. It would be just a ticking time bomb.”
Jax Admits He Filmed Vanderpump Rules Under the Influence
Jax also admitted that during his time on Vanderpump Rules, he was frequently using drugs while filming.
“I thought I was keeping it under the radar. But clearly, I wasn’t,” he admitted.
“When I watch back I’m like, ‘How big are my pupils? I’m sweating and there’s no reason to be sweating in the scene. Why am I sweating?’”
Jax on Life After Addiction
Jax has built a new routine to stay accountable.
“I go to therapy once a week — I probably should be going more,” he shared. “I’m drug tested every week, and that’s something I chose to do. I need to be held accountable.”
While Jax says he is fully sober from drugs and alcohol, he admits to using marijuana to help him sleep, calling himself “California sober.”
“I do still smoke a little bit of weed. I prefer that over pills,” he said.
As Jax moves forward in his recovery, he is focused on becoming a better version of himself.
“I just want to be in my son’s life. I want to show Brittany that I’m really trying. I know I have a long road ahead, but I’m committed to doing the work.”
The Valley airs Wednesdays, at 9/8c, on Bravo.
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Olivia Davis is a Staff Writer at All About The Tea. Olivia’s hobbies include binging Netflix series, and watching Housewives on Bravo. She graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in History.