Ben Affleck's Addiction "Scarred" His 22-Year-Old Ex Shauna Sexton

Highlights

• Reach for help when needed. Ben Affleck sought support for alcohol addiction more than once amid personal struggles.
• Relationships may be impacted. Ben's up-and-down moods during dating scarred partners, highlighting the connection between addiction and behavior.
• External influences matter. Ben's critics blame his relapse on relationships, emphasizing the importance of supportive environments.

Ben Affleck has had a messy public battle with alcohol addiction. In 1997, he decided to stop drinking for the first time after working with his longtime best friend, Matt Damon on Good Will Hunting. He went to rehab for the first time in 2001, which would begin his many trips there. But his most prominent stints were in 2017 and 2018 following his split from Jennifer Garner in 2015, after 10 years of marriage.

Back then, the Pearl Harbor star had a two-month fling with 22-year-old Playboy model, Shauna Sexton – who was blamed for his relapses. Later on, a source revealed that the two-time Oscar winner's "always up and down" moods "scarred" his ex when they were together. Sexton also held Affleck – who's reportedly having marriage issues with Jennifer Lopez – accountable for his bad decisions via social media.

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In an Us Weekly exclusive in December 2018, a source revealed that Affleck "really scarred" Sexton because of his "always up and down" moods. "Sometimes he [wanted] to go out, drink and get girls, and other times [he was] completely sober and going to church," said the insider. The Batman actor broke up with the model in October 2018, days after completing his rehab treatment.

When Affleck first stopped drinking in 1997, he admitted to "regretting some things [he] did when [he] was drunk. He explained: "It's funny to be obnoxious or out of control, but then it’' like, 'I think I hurt that person's feelings,' 'I made a fool of myself' or 'I didn't want to kiss that girl.'"

"I have almost no inhibitions, so it's dangerous for me," Affleck said of alcohol's effect on him.

In March 2017, The Accountant star said there's "no shame" in seeking help for alcoholism via Facebook: "I have completed treatment for alcohol addiction; something I've dealt with in the past and will continue to confront. I want to live life to the fullest and be the best father I can be. I want my kids to know there is no shame in getting help when you need it, and to be a source of strength for anyone out there who needs help but is afraid to take the first step."

He added that he was "lucky to have the love of my family and friends, including my co-parent, Jen [Garner], who has supported me and cared for our kids as I've done the work I set out to do. This was the first of many steps being taken towards a positive recovery." Obviously, his progress didn't continue the following year, for which Sexton was heavily criticized.

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Ben Affleck's Sober Counselor Advised Him To Break Up With Shauna Sexton

In October 2018, Page Six published an article called, "Why Ben Affleck's Shauna Sexton fling was bad for his health — and his image," which further vilified Sexton online. The outlet cited ET reporting that "Garner and Affleck's sober counselors urged him to cut ties with Sexton." A source added: "He has a lot of money and right now he's still young enough that he needs to get his s**t together. One day he will drink too much and something bad will happen."

But Sexton's photographer friend, Martin Murillo, said that Affleck's relapse made things difficult for the model, who is not the "attention-loving" person Page Six itself described. "Now that this whole thing has happened, it's gotten harder," said Murillo. "If I’m talking to an agent from LA Models, the first thing they [note] is that she's dating Ben ­Affleck."

"It could be a good thing, but I think they see it as, 'Oh, here's just another model wanting attention.'"

He added that the paparazzi frenzy caused Sexton to quit her day job as a technician at Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center of Thousand Oaks, California. "I know it was affecting the people at her work so she decided to leave," Sexton's friend said of her life post-Affleck.

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Shauna Sexton's Past Drinking-Related Arrest Was Blamed On Ben Affleck's Rehab Stint

In October 2018, another Page Six source called Sexton a bad influence on Affleck. "At the end of the day, in order to be in recovery, [Affleck] needs to be by himself and taking care of his family," they stated. "He's being used by this girl. Anyone who drinks the way she drinks and is out there publicizing it and their relationship, has no respect for him or his family."

The fitness trainer "has been arrested for underage drinking and public intoxication, and has bragged on social media about her love of drinking and party­ing," per the publication. But Sexton defended herself, telling Instagram commenters that she loves "to drink and party! Absolutely dude," before dragging Affleck.

"Do these mistakes mean I would disrespect someone's hard earned sobriety by drinking with them or in front of them? Hell no," she said. "I have limitless respect for those who take action and actually do something about it."

"With that being said, Ben is a grown ass man, baby. He makes his own decisions. Blaming a 22-year-old for someone's 3rd time in rehab is just ridiculous..."

She then reminded fans not to jump to conclusions. "He is human. I am human. You are human. We all are going to f–k up, it's just a matter of learning from it," Sexton wrote. "Don't be so quick to throw shade on people. Take a step back, accept that we are all on our own..."

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