Australian actress Dena Kaplan details prescription drug battle and long road to recovery
Dance Academy star describes years-long addiction tied to prescribed sleep and anti-anxiety meds, and a chance Uber encounter that helped spark recovery
Australian actress and dancer Dena Kaplan has revealed a years-long struggle with prescription drug addiction that began as a coping mechanism during grueling tour schedules. The Dance Academy star, 36, said she was prescribed sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medications while travelling through the United States with Australian DJ Hayden James, and her dependence deepened when she joined electronic group Rüfüs Du Sol on the road. Kaplan said that after tours ended she ran out of medication and assumed she would be fine, only to enter withdrawals that grew more severe, including hallucinations, vomiting and panic attacks. Doctors continued prescribing the medications for years, until she was finally able to taper off with support. Kaplan stressed that she never misused the drugs, noting that she took only one pill before bed. It was not a choice, she says, but a medical situation that escalated into addiction.
Her first experience inside a rehabilitation centre was terrifying. Kaplan arrived for intake and was shown around with about 30–40 other patients; she cried and felt overwhelmed. A turning point arrived when an Uber driver asked if she was in withdrawal and said she was in Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous, offering to take her to a meeting. That same night Kaplan attended her first Narcotics Anonymous meeting, sitting in a circle as others shared stories of addiction and recovery, while she shook and cried.
In addition to addiction, Kaplan has spoken openly about struggles with depression and has tried various therapies over the years, including ketamine treatment. She says she is now focused on living a healthier, more balanced life and wants to share her story to help others. The revelations appeared during Life Academy: The Podcast, where she discussed her journey and underscored that help is available.
Kaplan is best known for playing Abigail Armstrong on Dance Academy and continues to advocate for mental health and addiction awareness. If you or someone you know is struggling, Lifeline can be reached at 13 11 14 in Australia or Reach Out for online mental health support. In an emergency, call 000.