Jacob Young, known for his role on "General Hospital," has shared an emotional and deeply personal story about his past opioid addiction, revealing he secretly struggled for seven years.

Speaking on the "Imperfectly Perfect" podcast, the 46-year-old actor said his addiction began after dental surgery, when he was prescribed Vicodin.

"This is something I've never been completely open about," Young admitted. "I started getting hooked on opioids and I went through seven years of my life wasted on opioids."

Young explained that the pills made him feel normal during a time when he was dealing with emotional pain. "I was just needing to feel numb," he said.

According to The Independent, despite his addiction, he claimed it did not affect his work. "I always showed up, I always did my lines. I was always well-studied."

Still, behind the scenes, he said he was living a double life. "I was living a lie," Young shared. "I would show up pretending that everything is fine, and then go home and realize I just lied to everyone that entire day."

For years, he kept his struggle hidden, even from his wife, Christen Steward. The turning point came when he finally told her the truth. "I was like, 'Look, I'm addicted... I need help,'" he recalled.

Jacob Young Links Past Pain to Substance Use

Young said seeking counseling helped him begin recovery. He focused on understanding why he turned to drugs in the first place. "I wanted to get to the root of 'Why?'" he explained. "That was a journey... it was really tough."

The actor also spoke about earlier struggles with alcohol and drug use, which he linked to unresolved trauma.

As a teenager, he faced a major loss when his stepmother died by suicide. "I was going through stuff that I didn't realize," he said, noting that he later used substances to cope with pain and anxiety, US Magazine reported.

Before opioids, Young said he leaned on alcohol and even cocaine during his younger years, especially while living and working in New York.

"I was dealing with resentment, depression, old wounds," he said. "Those drugs seemed to knock all that out."

Young said his life began to change after meeting his wife. The couple married in 2007 and now share three children. He eventually became sober and focused on his family and healing.

Now, he says he is no longer afraid to speak openly. "We are all going through something in our lives," Young said. "Whether it's raising children or trying to figure out where we are in our headspace."

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