Actress Charlie Sheen’s Ex Opens Up on Ongoing Addiction Struggles

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Denise Mueller, a 47-year-old actress and mother of two, opened up in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE about her ongoing battle with addiction and the impact it has on her life and children. Despite achieving six years of sobriety, Mueller relapsed in the summer of 2023, prompting her to identify herself as a “stage four addict.”

In the interview published on March 25, 2025, Mueller shared her feelings about her addiction journey, stating, “The sad reality is they get used to it — Mommy is going to relapse again one day.” She is the mother of 16-year-old twins, Bob and Max, with ex-husband Charlie Sheen, who was also open about his struggles with substance abuse.

Mueller explained that the cycle of relapse has become a significant part of her life. “When we’re at stage four, it typically means that cycle where you just have these relapses,” she said. “I want to be honest about it, because if I try to sugarcoat it, I’d be lying to myself.”

Echoing the complexities of addiction, she noted, “The darkness and the shame as we get older, that sticks with us even more because we have more evidence of pain that we’ve caused others and ourselves.”

Reflecting on her most recent relapse, she admitted to convincing herself that she needed ADD medication. “I somehow find these excuses, and I genuinely believe them,” Mueller said, recognizing the potential dangers of habit-forming drugs. “The last relapse I had was on something that can be abused, and the bottle is gone in a day and a half.”

Mueller has told that her doctors refer to her as an “anomaly,” and she expressed mixed feelings about her situation. “In some ways, I guess I’m lucky, but I wouldn’t say living a life like this is any sort of great life,” she explained. “Imagine you build up everything back, you finally gained the trust and the respect, and then constantly throwing it all away, not even knowing why or how.”

Mueller shared that despite their tumultuous relationship, Sheen remains her support when she struggles. “He gets it,” she said, adding, “He’s always there to help me and pick up the pieces.”

She also acknowledged their differing perspectives on addiction. “He knows his whole addiction history, and [thinks], ‘If I can just stop without one AA meeting… then why can’t you?’” Mueller explained. “But with the addiction mindset, sometimes we don’t have a choice.”

Mueller described how her sons are doing well but have had to witness their mother’s struggles. “They’ve never tried a drink or drugs or been on a date yet,” she noted. “I can’t tell you what I was doing at 15.”

She praised Sheen for being involved in their children’s lives, stating, “We share custody, we co-parent without attorneys, which is great. And I’m very grateful for that.”

For those in need of support, the SAMHSA helpline (1-800-662-HELP) offers vital resources for individuals facing substance abuse challenges.