Importance Score: 65 / 100 🔴
In collaboration with the harris project, a nonprofit organization established in 2013 dedicated to addressing co-occurring disorders (COD)—the intersection of mental health conditions and substance abuse—Us Weekly presents The Missing Issue. This special edition highlights the personal accounts of public figures who have navigated the complexities of mental health and addiction. We revisit our previous coverage of some of these prominent individuals.
Oscar De La Hoya’s Battle with Co-Occurring Disorders: Revisiting His Journey to Recovery
[Read the full original story.]
Oscar De La Hoya’s Struggle: Alcohol as an Escape from Depression
Throughout his illustrious 16-year boxing career, ten-time world champion Oscar De La Hoya was a formidable presence in the ring. However, the celebrated athlete, known as “The Golden Boy,” revealed in a 2011 Univision interview that the combination of addiction and depression became “the biggest fight” of his life, leading him to contemplate suicide. De La Hoya, now 52, remains candid about his ongoing struggle to manage his co-occurring disorders.
Oscar De La Hoya’s Early Exposure to Alcohol
Early Introduction to Alcohol: Drinking Started at Age 8
De La Hoya has recounted in various interviews that his initial experience with alcohol stemmed from curiosity and opportunity. As a child, he would surreptitiously sample beer at family gatherings. This early introduction soon developed into a problem, fostering a dependence he attributes, in part, to what he describes as a physically and emotionally abusive relationship with his parents. “I became heavily involved with alcohol and drugs, and I essentially lost my sense of self,” he stated in a July 2023 Fox Business interview. He explained he was seeking the affection he lacked in his childhood. “My father never expressed, ‘I love you,’” he disclosed to BELLA magazine in the same month. “My mother never told me she loved me… When I cried, she would resort to hitting me. Such was the severity.”
Substance Use as Coping Mechanism
Substance Use as Coping Mechanism: Alcohol and Cocaine for Relief
De La Hoya’s public image was built upon his resilience and invulnerability to pain. However, behind the scenes, he was engaging in self-medication to suppress overwhelming feelings of fear and shame. “I was more reliant on alcohol than cocaine,” De La Hoya admitted in his 2011 Univision interview. “It transported me to a sanctuary, a space where I felt immune to criticism, a realm where I felt I could simply reach out for my mother.”
Impact of Childhood Trauma on Fatherhood
Impact of Trauma: Childhood Experiences and Fatherhood Challenges
As a father of six, De La Hoya has acknowledged his unpreparedness for parenthood and how his emotional unavailability negatively impacted his older children. “There comes a moment when you convince yourself that this isn’t your true self,” he confided to BELLA magazine. “It’s terrifying. You believe you are unworthy, undeserving of love, and incapable of giving love. Self-pity takes hold, life spirals downward, and you feel lost. The only desire is to consume alcohol and drugs to escape… I consistently felt inadequate, unworthy of love, and incapable of fulfilling my responsibilities.”
The former athlete’s children include his eldest son Jacob, 27, with ex-partner Toni Alvarado. He also has son Devon, 26, and daughter Atiana, 25, from relationships with exes Angelicque McQueen and Shanna Moakler, respectively. With his former wife, Millie Corretjer, he has welcomed Oscar Jr., 19, Nina, 17, and Victoria, 11, prior to their separation in 2016.
Path to Recovery and Balance
Path to Healing: Seeking Help and Finding Balance
“I underwent rehabilitation programs and therapy,” he shared with the Associated Press in July 2023. “At this stage in my life, I have made a conscious decision and prepared myself over the years to achieve equilibrium. It’s all about balance. Life is fulfilling, genuinely excellent at present. I am content, productive, and engaged in activities I choose, on my own terms… It’s as if I am finally living life authentically for the first time.”
To purchase The Missing Issue for $8.99, visit https://magazineshop.us/harrisproject.
If you or someone you know is grappling with mental health challenges and/or substance use, know that you are not alone. Immediate intervention is crucial—dial 911 for emergency medical assistance; contact 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline; or reach out to 1-800-662-HELP for the SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) National Helpline. Carrying naloxone (Narcan) can be vital in reversing an opioid overdose.