Eminem Celebrates 16 Years Sober: “My Bottom Was Going to Be Death”

Eminem has officially reached a powerful milestone — 16 years of sobriety. The legendary Detroit rapper, who once battled a life-threatening addiction, took to social media to celebrate his incredible journey of recovery.

While Eminem (real name Marshall Mathers) once appeared to be on top of the world, behind the scenes, he was fighting a painful battle with addiction.

A Dark Chapter in His Life

In past interviews and documentaries, Eminem has spoken openly about his struggles with substance abuse. At one point, he admitted to taking up to 30 Vicodin a day, along with 40 to 60 Valium pills daily.

In the 2012 documentary How to Make Money Selling Drugs, he revealed:

“I don’t know at what point exactly it started to be a problem. I just remember liking it more and more. People tried to tell me I had a problem. I would say, ‘Get that f—ing person outta here.’”

He added:

“I’m not out there shooting heroin. I’m not putting coke up my nose. I’m not smoking crack.”
But the reality was, his situation was just as dangerous.

The Turning Point: Near-Death Overdose

Things worsened in the early 2000s when Eminem began battling insomnia, leading him to start using Ambien. That eventually became a gateway to more pills.

In 2007, Eminem hit rock bottom after a near-fatal overdose on methadone.

“The doctors told me I’d done the equivalent of four bags of heroin. If I got to the hospital two hours later, I would’ve died. My organs were shutting down. They didn’t think I was going to make it. My bottom was going to be death.”

A New Life, One Day at a Time

One of Eminem’s biggest supporters during his recovery was none other than Elton John, who regularly checked in to support him during his early sobriety journey.

Now, 16 years later, Eminem is healthy, focused, and thriving — and his story continues to inspire millions.

He shared a post on social media to mark the achievement, reminding fans of how far he’s come from those dark days.