Growing Pains star Jeremy Miller recently opened up about his battle with alcoholism and the medical implant he says has helped keep him sober.

Jeremy Miller Talks About Alcoholism

Miller starred as Ben Seaver, the youngest son in the Seaver family, on Growing Pains from 1985 to 1992, and took some time away from acting after the show ended. Instead, Miller reveals he began binge drinking after the show ended. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Miller says he would start every day with a trip to the liquor store and drink until he passed out.

At his lowest moments, Miller admitted that he considered suicide, saying, “There were probably a few nights it was awful close. I’m glad I did not own a gun, because I hated myself so thoroughly, I would have done something very stupid.”

Miller made the decision to truly get sober about eight years ago, around the time he met his finacée (or wife – reports are conflicted) Joanie Miller. Joanie has three sons from a previous marriage and Miller says his family made him realize he needed to stop drinking.

“My boys were afraid of me,” he said.

Jeremy Miller On Naltrexone

Miller has been appearing on talk shows, discussing his battle with alcohol addiction to promote the drug, Naltrexone, an opiate antagonist, which is supposed to “curb alcohol cravings.” The drug is administered to Miller through an implant that releases low doses of the medication. While not yet approved by the FDA, Miller swears that the implant “saved his life.”

Miller received the implant on June 4, 2011, after allegedly exhausting every other recovery option in the previous five years. The implant is part of BioCorRX’s ‘Start Fresh’ program, which also instructs patients to receive counseling as part of the treatment.

“If we take care of those cravings…we can really dig into the psycho-social reasons. The program is really two pronged. It starts with the implant, but you’re required to then go on and have counseling sessions over the next 12 months… so now instead of worrying about the withdrawal or the DT [detox] time, the DT is done and we can dig in deep to what got you to where you are in the first place,” explained BioCorRX CEO Kent Emry.

Miller is a patient advocate for the Start Fresh Recovery clinic, and still acts.

Miller is not the only Growing Pains star in the media these days. Tracey Gold, who played Carol Seaver, struggled with anorexia during her time on Growing Pains, and was forced to take a leave of absence to receive treatment. Growing Pains also starred Kirk Cameron, who is often in the media promoting his Christian beliefs, Alan Thicke and Joanna Kerns.

– Olivia Truffaut-Wong

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