Former WCW star Buff Bagwell has opened up about the depths of his addiction, revealing he spent two decades under constant sedation before finally getting clean with Diamond Dallas Page's help.
In an interview on Insight with Chris Van Vliet filmed at DDP's Yoga Performance Center in Atlanta, Bagwell disclosed shocking details about his substance abuse, including consuming a case of beer, 15-20 Lortabs, and 30-35 Somas daily at the height of his addiction.
"I sedated myself and I was under sedation for 20 consecutive years. There wasn't a day that didn't go by for 20 years that I wasn't some percent sedated," Bagwell admitted.
Bodybuilding and Addiction
The five-time WCW Tag Team Champion explained that his bodybuilding discipline ironically made him an efficient addict, organizing his substance use with the same precision he applied to his physique.
A bodybuilder makes a really good drug addict or a really bad one, however you want to look at that, but it's very organized," Bagwell explained.
How DDP Changed Buff Bagwell's Life
The turning point came when DDP delivered an ultimatum that would change Bagwell's life. With only Page and one other friend remaining in his corner, the WWE Hall of Famer made it clear: get help or lose everyone.
Dallas said 'no, no, no, it's this or I'm out of your life and John is out of your life' and that was the only two people I had in my life at that stage. So I went and it was the best thing I've ever done in my life," Bagwell recalled.
Buff Bagwell and Sobriety
The breakthrough came on the fifth night of rehab when Bagwell realized he could actually sleep without substances—something he had convinced himself was impossible.
I remember going to rehab and about the fifth night, I remember waking up and I had slept through the night... I remember going, I may be able to get clean when I knew I could sleep.
Bagwell celebrated his sobriety birthday on August 27, 2022, and has now been clean for over three years and five months. He credits DDP's intervention and his faith as the keys to his recovery.
The former WCW star's journey from addiction to sobriety was documented in A&E's Change or Die, filmed in 2021—about a year before he finally got sober. Bagwell now describes himself as "giddy" about life and has reconnected with his true self.
Marcus Alexander Bagwell in 1991 was a great guy. Everybody in the locker room loved Marcus Alexander Bagwell... I believe when the drinking and drugging stopped, Marcus instantly started slowly coming back.
