Nicole Kidman Shares her Ups and Down in the wake of Keith Urban’s Addiction

We all know Keith Urban as the blue-eyed, long-haired, rocker-chic, country boy famously known for his hit single, ‘Days Go By’. Yet, what we did not know is that he battled cocaine and alcohol for the majority of his adult life. Three months after his wed to Nicole Kidman, the Australian Beauty and Academy-Award Winning Actress, he decided to spend 90 days at the Betty Ford Center. Kidman did nothing but one thing: she stood by his side the whole way through. After more than a decade of supporting her husband in his sobriety, Nicole Kidman is sharing what she’s learned ‘as the wife of somebody who’s been through’ a struggle with addiction. To her, the only way to deal with a loved one who is suffering is to get help and to put your hand up, to reach out’. She strongly believes that you can’t save an addicts life but you can certainly help them save themselves.

That lesson, she explains was very difficult for her but, she realized that, ‘at some point, you just have to say, ‘I love you and I’m here when you decide to do the work. If you don’t, then that’s it.’ Surely, Keith did do the work and today, the couple embarks on their 11^th year of marriage together. Although the road was not easy for either of them, she declares that after the darkness,’ there’s an extraordinary life’ and she is happier than ever.

New Directions for Women wants to acknowledge the strength it takes to be supportive of a loved one getting help for their addiction. We recognize the importance of treating chemical dependency as a family disease. Those of you that have experienced the emotional pain of broken promises, false hopes, and other common side effects of this disease deserve the opportunity in identifying and voicing your own thoughts and feelings. For this very reason, we have established, a Family Program that is both grounded in the 12 step principles and encourages each family member in participating in self-help meetings on a regular basis. The program consists of on-site group, family, and educational therapy. To learn more about how you can support your loved one while also mending the relationships within your family, visit Services Offered.

Read more on Nicole’s love for Keith.