Whoopi Goldberg Shares Insights into Her Severe Cocaine Dependency and the Turning Point in Her Latest Memoir: ‘I didn’t want to die’

Whoopi Goldberg confesses in her memoir, "Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me," about her past cocaine addiction. Despite getting clean in the 70s after rehab, the Oscar winner admits to occasionally using pot. Goldberg, 68, explained how Hollywood and New York reshaped the concept of "recreational drug use" in the 80s.

At parties, she was welcomed with a bowl of Quaaludes to choose from. Cocaine lines were spread on tables and bathroom counters, as partygoers felt safe from police raids at the home of a high-profile figure and freely indulged. The EGOT winner thought she could handle cocaine because it didn't seem dangerous. It was easily accessible to everyone at that time.

Things were fine for about a year. She hid her drug use well and showed up on time to work, but soon cocaine began overpowering her. Goldberg hallucinated, seeing a menacing creature under her bed that would harm her if she moved. "I didn't get out of bed for 24 hours," stated the "Ghost" star, noting the unpleasant outcomes. There's a limit to how long one can hold their bladder.

Finally, Goldberg had a "slap in the face moment" during her stay at a fancy Manhattan hotel. She sat in the closet, doing drugs. A housekeeper entered, opened the door, and screamed. Goldberg jumped up and tried to explain it was her room, but then saw her cocaine-smeared face in a mirror. "Star Trek" alum considers herself fortunate, as she was able to quit drugs swiftly despite the anticipated challenges.

She acknowledges the need to distance herself from old friends and decline social invitations, but she is confident in her ability to do so. "I didn't want to die." "Bits and Pieces" releases on May 7.