Dax Shepard Says He Was 'Terrified' to Go Public with His Relapse: I Had 'Bizarre Fears'

Dax Shepard is willing to share his tough times with the world if it means helping others.

During a virtual appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Tuesday, Shepard opened up about recently relapsing after 16 years of sobriety, admitting that he initially "did not want to" go public with the slip.

"I had all kinds of bizarre fears," he said. "I get so much esteem out of being someone who is vocally sober. I have people who write me, 'I'm month one,' or, 'I'm week two.' I love that. That's my favorite thing about being in public. I was terrified I would lose that. I really cherish that."

But Shepard, 46, said after confiding in a friend about his dilemma, he realized that if his ultimate goal is to support and inspire others on their path to sobriety, he had to be honest.

"I have a good friend that said, 'You know, if your real goal is to help people, it's not really helpful that you're 16 years sober and married to Kristen Bell,'" he recalled. "'That doesn't help a ton of people. In fact, it probably makes their life worse. So that fact that you just fell, that's the actual value. That's the thing you could do that's helpful.'"

"When it was framed that was to me, it got a lot easier," Shepard continued.

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Shepard revealed he had relapsed on the Sep. 25 episode of his Armchair Expert podcast, titled "Day 7," explaining that he used painkillers following a motorcycle accident. The episode was recorded on Sep. 21, when Shepard was seven days sober.

RELATED VIDEO: Kristen Bell Speaks Out After Husband Dax Shepard's Relapse: 'I Will Continue to Stand by Him'

Kristen Bell Speaks Out After Husband Dax Shepard's Relapse: 'I Will Continue to Stand by Him'

"He's addicted to evolving," Kristen Bell says of Dax Shepard

He said that earlier that year, after breaking his hand in an ATV accident and also suffering multiple injuries during a separate motorcycle accident, the actor began purchasing his own pills. He then began lying to the people around him, which he said helped him realize he needed to quit.

A month after his confession, Bell, 40, said her husband was "doing great."

Kristen Bell/Instagram

"He is actually doing really great. ... Everybody is up against their own demons," Bell said, also during an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. "Sometimes it's anxiety and depression. Sometimes it's substance abuse."

Bell said she admired both his honesty and his dedication to self-growth.

"He's addicted to evolving," she said. "He was like, 'I don't want to risk this family and I did, so let's put new things in place to make sure it doesn't happen again.'"

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, please contact the SAMHSA substance abuse helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.