Ben Affleck opened up about his battle with alcoholism on Monday and discussed his recovery process.
“I think a lot of people look at addiction and say, ‘It’s over, he did it. It’s like cancer, he’s cured. He’s done.’ But it is a lifelong battle for you,” Today Show host Hoda Kotb said to Affleck.
“Yeah, I mean, some people are sort of uncomfortable. It doesn’t really bother me to talk about alcoholism and being an alcoholic,” he said in response. “It’s part of my life, something that I deal with. It doesn’t have to subsume my whole identity and be everything, but it’s something you have to work at.”
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He continued, “I had a problem and I really wanted to address it. I take some pride in that … It’s about yourself, your life, your family. People encounter these kinds of hurdles and we have to deal with them.”
The 46-year-old actor entered rehab for the third time in August 2018.
WATCH BELOW: Actor Ben Affleck heads back to rehab
Affleck entered rehab shortly after Jennifer Garner was photographed arriving at his home in August 2018.
A source told E! that Garner, “visibly shaken,” was seen driving Affleck to the facility after going to his Pacific Palisades home with her bodyguard to confront him.
TMZ reported that Affleck “wanted the help and agreed to go” with Garner after she begged him to seek treatment.
Affleck checked in at a live-in rehab facility in Los Angeles and will stay there for an “extended period” of time.
The Good Will Hunting actor has struggled with alcohol addiction before. His first time in rehab was in 2001.
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During his interview on the Today Show, Affleck opened up about his life as a dad and how thankful he was to have Garner as a co-parent for their three children Samuel Garner, 7; Seraphina Rose Elizabeth, 10; and Violet Anne, 13.
“I hope I’m a pretty good dad,” he said. “I certainly try very hard. I’m lucky they got a great mom, and she helps out a great deal with making sure that we co-parent in as good a way as possible.”
He continued: “Dads are so important to kids, and it’s our responsibility to be there for them — to be present, to be mindful, to be attentive, to be part of their lives, to be as in it as moms.”
“That’s really the central preoccupation in my life,” Affleck shared. “The focus of my life is what I love doing. It’s what makes me happy, and the rest of the stuff kind of follows.”
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He also thanked Garner for her support when he finished treatment in March 2017.
“I have completed treatment for alcohol addiction; something I’ve dealt with in the past and will continue to confront,” he wrote on Facebook. “I want to live life to the fullest and be the best father I can be. I want my kids to know there is no shame in getting help when you need it, and to be a source of strength for anyone out there who needs help but is afraid to take the first step. I’m lucky to have the love of my family and friends, including my co-parent, Jen, who has supported me and cared for our kids as I’ve done the work I set out to do.
“This was the first of many steps being taken towards a positive recovery.”
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