McDermott tells PEOPLE that he is now three years and four months sober

NEED TO KNOW

• Dean McDermott spoke about the darkest points of his addiction during Cure Addiction Now’s 3rd Annual Fundraising Evening in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Monday, Nov. 9
• PEOPLE also talked to the actor about the topic on the red carpet
• McDermott tells PEOPLE that he is now three years and four months sober

Dean McDermott is getting candid about the darkest points in his struggles with addiction.

McDermott, 59, reflected on his journey with addiction at Cure Addiction Now’s 3rd Annual Fundraising Evening in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Monday, Nov. 9. Before the event, which raised funds for research on substance use disorder, the actor told PEOPLE on the red carpet that he is now three years and four months sober.

During his speech, McDermott recalled “blackout drinking” as a way to cope with the death of his mother and said he began turning to cocaine at the age of 19.

“The last 10 years of my addiction, I found opiates and that’s when things really started to get bad. I was a functioning addict. Nobody knew,” he said. “I was able to build up a great career, a beautiful family. Yet my actions continued. My using continued.”

McDermott shares five children with ex-wife Tori Spelling, 53. Their divorce was finalized in November 2025. He is also dad to son Jack, 25, from his previous marriage to Mary Jo Eustace.

McDermott said he “knew the consequences,” but kept going.

“I was destroying everything in my life,” he said. “I wanted to stop, but I couldn’t. Things got so bad. I just turned age 56 and my life was in shambles. I burned it down. I’d scared my family and my wife at the time.”

Things got to the point where he considered ending his life.

“I was so lost and hopeless that I thought the best thing to do would be to exit this planet,” he said. “I didn’t want to live anymore. I found myself with a gun in my mouth and my beautiful babies down the hall and my wife down the hall. I was desperate. I couldn’t stop. This is a testament to how strong the disease of addiction is.”

McDermott emerged from that state through treatment, and said he now works in recovery as a drug and alcohol counselor.

“I struggled for 43 years; 30 of those years I tried to get clean and boy, I wish there was another way,” he said. “And I’m so grateful and fortunate. Most addicts don’t get to be here where I am today to help such a wonderful foundation”

Speaking to PEOPLE about his work as a drug and alcohol counselor, McDermott says that it’s a “full-time” role that’s “really fulfilling” while he still auditions for acting roles.

“That really keeps me happy, helping other addicts,” he says. “[I] found what I found, sharing my experience, strength and help with them. It’s not a job. I know it sounds cliche, but it’s not.”

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