Tim Allen Opens Up About Being “Drugs And Alcohol-Free” For 22 Years: “It Doesn’t Happen Overnight”

Tim Allen is opening up about his journey to sobriety after battling a drug and alcohol addiction.

It’s been 22 years since Allen struggled with drugs and alcoholism, and today, the 66-year-old actor says he’s “drugs and alcohol-free.” The actor revealed that with help from his sobriety program, he’s been able to hold himself responsible for the actions he makes in his life.

“Because I had money, and I was a star, people helped, they enable you to get by,” said Allen during a visit on The Kelly Clarkson Show. “The program I practice, it’s all about as soon as you get it, you gotta give it away.” To explain what it took to realize he had an issue, he said he uses a motto that references toys. “A kid can’t hold onto all these toys, and every time he sees a new toy, he goes, ‘Mine.’ You gotta drop one of those before I can give you another one.” He added: “It really resonated with me that it doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a day-to-day thing.”

Back in June, the Buzz Lightyear actor told Parade that being sober is “the biggest blessing” in his life, and that he used humor to cope with the challenges he faced in his journey. Allen said he’s “not comfortable with what I think and feel half the time, so I don’t wanna share that.”

“I don’t want to be too philosophical about it, but comedy is my coping mechanism. It always has been,” he said at the time. “I don’t really like people that much. To keep them at bay, you make jokes, and they laugh and walk away.”