Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino Opens Up Battling Prescription Drug Addiction

NEW YORK (WLNY) -- He became a superstar as part of 'Jersey Shore,' but Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino's rise to fame had its pitfalls. He became addicted to prescription drugs.

Now, after waging a very public battle to get clean, Sorrentino's looking to help others beat their addiction.

Now recovered, Sorrentino handles questions about his health with a mild laugh.

"I'm doing very well," he said. "'The Situation' is under control, as you may say."

The reality television star recalled the exact moment he knew he needed help.

"When I was overseas in Australia and I really couldn't get my hands on my medication. And I was laying in my bed, and I had to do an appearance for about one hour," he said.

His family was with him, and had laid out all of his clothes for him -- they even turned the shower on for him. But he couldn't get out of bed.

"The shower was on. All I had to do was just get up and walk in the shower and go to the event. I really couldn't get up, I didn't feel well. Right then and there I knew."

The next day he was on a plane to Utah for rehab.

Sorrentino has joined a new public health initiative called Reset Reality to raise awareness of the growing epidemic of prescription painkiller addiction, and motivate those who are battling addiction to get the facts about treatment and seek out a medical professional to find the right path for them to manage this chronic condition.

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