John Stamos says DUI arrest, photo of him in handcuffs got him sober

John Stamos is reflecting on his long journey to sobriety, starting with his 2015 arrest for driving under the influence.

"I had to sober up. I was just drinking too much," the 60-year-old actor told PEOPLE in a new interview ahead of the release of his upcoming memoir, If You Would Have Told Me. "I just went low. I didn't go high. I just surrounded myself with people I shouldn't have been with."

He went on to cite the arrest as an eye-opening turning point for him. "I had that DUI and I was like, 'I can't do this. I've got to straighten up,'" he recalled. "That's when I was confusing the universe because I'm not a bad person, but I was doing crappy things."

Following the wakeup call, Stamos entered rehab, which he now admits was "dark for a bit," though well worth the struggle. And in case he forgets, he makes sure to remind himself of hitting rock bottom, reflecting on a moment when he was "sitting on a curb" in handcuffs minutes after his arrest.

"It's hard for a lot of people," he said. "It's not that hard for me because it's still so fresh in my mind that all I have to do is look at that picture of me in handcuffs on that street."

He added, "It just makes me throw up right now just thinking [about it]. Never again."

Stamos credits his wife, Caitlin McHugh Stamos, and their 5-year-old son with keeping him on the path of sobriety.

"Going down the road of being sober and taking care of yourself, everybody tries. Everybody does it," he said. "You could get going for a little while. Then, it's like, 'I can drink again.' So it's staying on the path is what they mostly do for me."

Stamos has previously praised his Fuller House costar Jodie Sweetin for helping him through his sobriety after she battled with addiction herself. When presenting her with a 2019 award for her memoir, unSweetined, he said, "Jodie lovingly allowed me to walk my own path and when I finally humbled myself to ask for your help, I realized that the perky little blabbermouth had become the master of wisdom and was right by my side during some of the most difficult days of my life."

During his conversation with PEOPLE, Stamos also noted the crucial role his career played once he exited rehab. "I had a lot waiting for me, and I feel bad because a lot of people don't, because they burned their lives down," Stamos said. "Luckily, I had my sisters, but I also had Fuller House. I got home and I think like a week later, we started Fuller House."

Stamos' new memoir, If You Would Have Told Me, is available for pre-order ahead of its Oct. 24 release.

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

Related content:

John Stamos says DUI arrest, photo of him in handcuffs convinced him to get sober: 'Never again'

Related Articles