Charlie Sheen Says He Felt 'Relief' After 2011 HIV Diagnosis, Details in New Memoir
Actor recounts symptoms, treatment and life changes he says followed the diagnosis; memoir and documentary due in September
Charlie Sheen writes in his new memoir that he felt a sense of relief after receiving an HIV-positive diagnosis in 2011, describing a period of acute symptoms, medical testing and a shift toward treatment that he says allowed him to regain some control over his life.
In excerpts and interviews tied to The Book of Sheen, the 60-year-old actor recounts enduring what he described as prolonged headaches and night sweats that prompted medical attention and led to a spinal tap and blood testing. He has said doctors identified the virus in his blood in 2011 but that he publicly disclosed his status in 2015 after being blackmailed. Sheen has told People and other outlets he does not believe he transmitted the virus to any former sexual partners.
Sheen writes that, after moving through the stages of grief, he experienced an unexpected sense of relief upon receiving a diagnosis because it put specialized medical care and antiretroviral medicines within reach. "The relief of knowing an entire discipline of high-tech medicine was at my disposal to drive that bastard into submission," he wrote, adding that the medications could not kill the virus but could prevent it from destroying his spirit. He described his mother and a friend at his side during the early hospital days and recalled a moment of calm during a drive on Sunset Boulevard shortly after the diagnosis.
The memoir and an accompanying Netflix documentary, aka Charlie Sheen, are set for release on consecutive days in September; the book opens Sept. 9 and the documentary begins streaming Sept. 10. The documentary, according to promotional material and Sheen's comments, features interviews with several people from his life, including ex-wives Denise Richards and Brooke Mueller and former co-star Jon Cryer.
Sheen, who rose to prominence in the 1980s and starred in shows including Two and a Half Men and Anger Management, details decades of substance use and partying in the memoir and says his shift toward relationships with men began after he started using crack cocaine. He described that change as "liberating" and has spoken about quitting drugs before later stopping alcohol in 2017, saying he went cold turkey after an incident that made him reassess his use.
The actor's personal life and legal history are noted in the book and related coverage. He and Richards were married from 2002 until the mid-2000s and share two daughters; Sheen has twin sons with Mueller, to whom he was married for several years. Media reporting has documented disputes over child support and custody in recent years, including litigation between Sheen and Richards and a 2021 court ruling that altered support obligations dating back to 2018.
Sheen's account adds a high-profile personal narrative to ongoing public conversations about people living with HIV. Modern antiretroviral therapy, which Sheen cited as central to his sense of relief, can suppress viral load and prevent progression to AIDS when taken as prescribed, public health experts say. Sheen's memoir frames his diagnosis, subsequent treatment and lifestyle changes as a turning point after what he describes as years of drug-fueled behavior and intermittent sobriety.
Excerpts from The Book of Sheen and Sheen's recent interviews present the actor's own perspective on the diagnosis, its effects and the role of treatment in his life. Representatives for Sheen did not immediately provide additional comment beyond promotional materials tied to the book and documentary release schedule.
The memoir and documentary will mark the latest public account from Sheen about his health and personal history. He has previously discussed his HIV status in interviews, saying he first revealed it publicly in 2015 after learning he was being blackmailed, and has since described ongoing treatment and adjustments to his life and relationships.