Overview of The Addict Who Won The Bachelorette: Zac Clark On Getting Sober & Staying That Way
Rich Roll sits down with Zac Clark for a wide-ranging conversation about addiction, recovery, public life, family dynamics, and the role of service in long-term sobriety. Clark—recovery advocate, founder of Release Recovery, and former Bachelorette winner—shares the full arc of his addiction: early drinking, college bingeing, a brain surgery that introduced opioids, escalating to heroin and crack, and eventually the moment that pushed him back into treatment. The episode centers on how he has stayed sober for nearly 15 years and how he now helps others find a path out of suffering.
Zac Clark’s Addiction Story
Early drinking and denial
- Clark says he first drank at 13 and immediately learned he could lie and get away with it, which became part of the addiction pattern.
- In high school and college, he functioned well enough on the outside—sports, grades, jobs—while blacking out regularly and drinking heavily.
- He describes alcohol as his “first love” and says he was an alcoholic long before opioids entered the picture.
Brain surgery and the opioid gateway
- A brain scan revealed a dangerous cavernoma near his hypothalamus, leading to surgery at age 24/25.
- Post-surgery pain relief from opioids became a powerful emotional and physical memory.
- That experience became a turning point: he realized opioids could “wipe out the pain,” and he chased that feeling later through prescription pills and heroin.
Escalation to heroin and crack
- After a first rehab stay at 25, he relapsed quickly and moved into increasingly dangerous behavior.
- He describes “doctor shopping,” smoking oxycodone, shooting heroin, smoking crack, and deepening isolation.
- He emphasizes that many heroin users do not fit the stereotypical image of addiction; in his case, he was able to hide it for a long time.
Recovery, Treatment, and Staying Sober
What finally changed
- His last rescue moment came when his father physically came to a bank and brought him home after a bank teller alerted the family.
- Clark frames this as a spiritual turning point—an unexpected moment of willingness that he believes cannot be forced.
- He then entered longer-term treatment and eventually built a stable recovery foundation.
What keeps him sober
- Clark credits:
- AA and fellowship
- therapy
- prayer and meditation
- service to others
- running and other healthy routines
- He says sobriety is not just abstinence; emotional sobriety matters just as much.
- He strongly warns against being a “dry drunk” — sober on paper, but still unchanged internally.
His view on treatment
- 28-day treatment, he says, was not enough for him; he needed months of structure.
- He believes the best outcomes happen when people are honest, willing, and open to guidance.
- He’s skeptical of performative treatment and of people who say they “know everything.”
The Bachelorette, Public Identity, and Anonymity
Why he went on the show
- Clark says his mother and sister filled out the application without his knowledge.
- He initially saw the show as a potential way to amplify the recovery message and maybe find love.
- During COVID, with few competing shows on TV, the season drew huge attention.
The downside of fame
- Being on The Bachelorette complicated his recovery anonymity.
- He describes awkward moments where people recognized him in AA or in family settings.
- Public fame also makes it harder to preserve the privacy that recovery traditions often try to protect.
Why he still talks publicly about recovery
- He believes visibility saves lives.
- He argues that if he had seen someone like him in recovery earlier, he might have gotten help sooner.
- Even with criticism, he feels his public speaking is worth it because it reaches people who are suffering.
Family, Trauma, and the Recovery Ecosystem
The family’s role in addiction
- Clark stresses that addiction affects the whole family system, not just the person using.
- Family members often become “participants” in the cycle, even if unintentionally.
- He encourages families to get their own therapy, attend Al-Anon, and change their own behavior rather than trying to control the addicted person.
Trauma and emotional roots
- He and Roll discuss how early experiences can shape later coping patterns.
- Clark acknowledges that his upbringing was comparatively privileged, but still points to emotional wounds, sensitivity, and a need to be seen.
- He believes many people use substances to fill a validation gap.
A key recovery insight
- One of the most repeated ideas in the conversation: people often need to feel seen before they’re willing to change.
- Clark sees that as true for both clients and family members.
Running, Purpose, and Release Recovery
Running as healthy structure
- Clark got into running in rehab, starting with walking up a hill and gradually building from there.
- Running became a major part of his life in New York and eventually a source of community and meaning.
- He has run every New York City Marathon since 2013.
The danger of replacing one compulsion with another
- He and Roll both note that running can become addictive too.
- Clark says the key is not to use running as an escape from recovery or responsibility.
- The goal is balance: physical health, community, and emotional work all together.
Release Recovery and service
- Clark founded Release Recovery, a treatment and support organization focused on behavioral health.
- Their model blends:
- medical and clinical expertise
- lived experience
- community and coaching
- practical support for people without strong insurance coverage
- He also uses the Zach Clark Show to spread recovery stories and normalize help-seeking.
Advice and Takeaways
For people struggling with addiction
- You are not beyond help.
- Ask for help, even in a small way.
- Enter community instead of staying isolated.
- Be honest about where you are, not where you wish you were.
For families
- Don’t try to force outcomes.
- Seek your own support.
- Set boundaries.
- If there is imminent danger, call authorities.
For anyone feeling lost
- Clark’s central message is that meaning often begins with permission:
- permission to admit you’re not okay
- permission to change
- permission to ask for help
- He believes recovery is ultimately about moving from self-obsession to service.
Notable Insights
“The thing that was going to sustain my recovery long-term was community, fellowship, service, prayer, meditation, helping others.”
“People just want to be seen.”
“The house is on fire. You have to put the fire out.”
“Sobriety is not a linear concept.”
“I don’t get out of bed when I’m thinking about myself.”
Bottom Line
This episode is both a recovery story and a broader conversation about human need: to be seen, to belong, and to find a life that feels worth living. Zac Clark’s message is clear—recovery is possible, but it requires honesty, community, and sustained action.