Lena Dunham felt like she 'didn’t belong' in rehab because 'these people have done heroin'

Lena Dunham is opening up about her experience entering rehab for pharmaceutical dependency, admitting she initially believed she “didn’t belong” there.

Speaking during a discussion about her memoir Famesick, Dunham revealed she struggled to accept the severity of her addiction when she first entered treatment in 2018. The Girls creator said she developed “a dependent relationship with pharmaceuticals,” particularly the anti-anxiety medication Klonopin.

Dunham explained that she initially compared herself to other rehab patients who had histories with harder drugs and questioned why she was there. Recalling one early group therapy session, she said she went to her therapist afterward and insisted, “I don’t belong in this place. These people have done heroin.”

The actress said her therapist convinced her to stay by suggesting she could help others in the program. Over time, Dunham said she realised she had far more in common with the other patients than she first believed.

By the fifth day in rehab, Dunham said she had formed deep emotional bonds with the people around her and came to understand that “we’re all the same person.”

Dunham previously revealed she entered rehab in April 2018 and later celebrated achieving sobriety after struggling with dependence on benzodiazepines.

Her memoir Famesick explores her experiences with fame, chronic illness, addiction, and recovery, along with the personal and professional challenges she faced during and after the success of Girls.