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Adrienne Banfield-Norris celebrates 31 years of sobriety: 'I spent so many years in that insanity of active addiction, running in and out'

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 23: Adrienne Banfield-Norris speaks onstage during the EBONY Power 100 Awards Gala at The Beverly Hilton on October 23, 2021 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/Getty Images for EBONY MEDIA)
Adrienne Banfield-Norris of 'Red Table Talk' opens up about being 31 years sober. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/Getty Images for EBONY MEDIA)

Red Table Talk host Adrienne Banfield-Norris just shared that she hit an important milestone.

The mother of Jada Pinkett Smith (affectionately known as Gammy) took to Instagram to share a video of herself announcing she was now "31 years clean." Sitting outside to be "peaceful and still," Banfield-Norris, who battled heroin dependency, recalled, "I spent so many years in that insanity of active addiction, running in and out, and just that revolving door — you know, trying to get my life back together. That surrender was a struggle. But it was the surrender that was the beginning of a change in my life."

She also shared a video of herself staring out at the hills, while reciting the Narcotics Anonymous passage that reads, "When at the end of the road we find that we can no longer function as a human being, either with or without drugs, we all face the same dilemma. Either go on as best we can to the bitter ends — jails, institutions or death — or find a new way to live."

Banfield-Norris has previously opened up about her struggles with addiction on Red Table Talk, beginning with a candid 2018 interview on the Facebook Watch series. Of her decision to speak about her past, she told The New York Times, "I think there is so much stigma attached to addiction, and people have in their mind's eye about what they think that person looks like, where they came from, who that person is."

In April 2020, she shared that quarantining during the coronavirus pandemic made her return to the Narcotics Anonymous practices that helped her get sober.

"My sponsor actually called me and let me know there were meetings online," she explained at the time. "I went back to my old homegroup back in Baltimore. It was such a good feeling."

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Treatment Referral Helpline at 800-662-HELP (4357).

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