With a gold medal in freestyle wrestling and a celebrated WWE career, Kurt Angle has become a legendary name in the world of wrestling. However, the WWE Hall of Fame star has faced significant struggles and challenges throughout his tenure, including a battle with painkiller addiction.
He has been open about how his addiction developed and how it worsened over time. In a conversation with the Hollywood star Jon Bernthal, the wrestler discussed his addiction, revealing that it became so severe at one point that it nearly cost him his life.
Kurt Angle Opened Up About His Painkiller Addiction
Kurt Angle has opened up about how he was introduced to painkillers after his neck injury. He was prescribed painkillers to manage the pain, and initially, they worked for him.
While it provided relief from pain and gave him a feeling of energy without causing nausea, over time, his body built up a tolerance, and the prescribed dosage no longer had the same effect, leading to an escalating dependency.
In his interview with the Punisher star Jon Bernthal on his podcast, REAL ONES, he shared, “First time I tried a painkiller, it was the greatest feeling in the world. I felt invincible.”
He also said that he was taking extra strength Vicodin, and what started with a regular prescription eventually ended up becoming 65 pills a day. And it led to financial strain and numerous overdoses.
“I was playing with fire,” he said talking about the times he overdosed. “There were a few times, where I should have been dead,” Angle added. The wrestling star also shared that the stress of working the constant injuries, and the lack of recovery made it worse for him to get rid of his addiction.
He eventually decided to step back from WWE in 2006. “I just knew, if I didn’t back out then I was gonna kill myself,” the actor said, reflecting on his decision to step back from the WWE.
Kurt Angle’s Raw Conversation on Addiction Becomes A Tough Watch for Wrestling Fans
Fans of the WWE star, who have followed him for years have shared their reaction to Kurt Angle’s struggles, sharing that they are glad he has overcome the addiction.
Very brave of Kurt to be open about his struggles like this
— Captain Ryan James (@wrestlingescape) July 19, 2024
Mad respect to him for that.
There's help out there people.
The Perc Angle era was no joke. There were points where he looked so rough that seeing headlines of his death would have not been a surprise.
— ShichitenHakki (七転八起) (@ShichitenHakkiC) July 19, 2024
Crazy stuff, man. I’m glad that Kurt got help for his addictions.
— MrMementoMori: LOLcow Enjoyer (@MrMementoMori85) July 19, 2024
Getting off painkillers was the best thing ever did knowing how much of a bitch it is much real respect for him
— mrwhatszittoya (@hramirezx) July 20, 2024
The bean kicked in
— blank (@Nipplediddy) July 19, 2024
The WWE star also shared during his 2022 interview that he has kept his distance from painkillers for seven and a half years and has said that he came out as a better person from this experience.
Similar to Angle, many other legendary WWE stars such as Rey Mysterio, Lex Luger, Goldust, Jeff Hardy, Eddie Guerrero, and Randy Orton, struggled with addiction and overcame their issues over time.
The experience of overcoming addiction ultimately contributed to his personal growth, as Kurt shared that going through the struggle and rebuilding his reputation forced him to work harder and made him a better person.
