The Russian actor Gosha Kutsenko disclosed in a public interview with TV host Svetlana Bondarchuk that he struggled with sleeping pills for years. He described a five-year battle that began when the medication was initially tried to help manage fatigue and stress. The drug, originally developed to aid long-haul drivers and pilots, was taken in small amounts at first and increasingly combined with alcohol as time passed. He explained a pattern where the dose gradually climbed in step with heavier drinking.
He recalled a cycle where the pills were paired with alcohol to help him fall asleep, yet the next moment he worried whether he had actually consumed the medication. The fear of not sleeping correctly would lead to another drink, further fueling the cycle. As he put it, the dose would rise in predictable steps, creating a risky loop that was hard to break.
The turning point came when sleep stopped being restful and apnea appeared. The actor began to experience episodes of breathless choking during sleep, which left him terrified of closing his eyes. He remembered going without proper rest for days, even missing a project due to declining health. Eventually he sought hospital care, and he described the experience as a chaotic unraveling of his life and health.
Medical professionals advised a comprehensive recovery plan that included relearning sleep patterns, visiting neurologists, and taking a combination of antidepressants and antipsychotic medications. It became clear that the sleeping pill acted as a powerful sedative with wide-ranging effects on the body and mind.
In his words, he had believed his athletic years were clean and disciplined, yet the truth was far from it. He revealed that he had been under the influence of a strong sedative for months, moving around in a daze much like someone on a high. This realization was a stark wake-up call about the impact of medication and substance use on performance and daily life.
The actor admitted that he continued to drink even while taking antidepressants, which led to vertigo and persistent dizziness. He compared the sensation to a helicopter that had been shot down, a vivid image used to describe the disorienting fall from balance and clarity. The dizziness initially went unrecognized as a side effect of the medications, with fears of a brain tumor replacing the actual cause. Once the truth became clear, he stopped the pills, although alcohol remained a separate challenge to his recovery.
He spoke frankly about his commitment to getting back on track and mentioned that doctors urged him to take decisive steps toward sobriety and health. The path to better sleep and mental well-being was not simple, but it became a priority after the serious health scare. The experience also touched his personal life, including remarks about his eldest daughter, who had grown into a motherly figure in her own right, a contrast to the earlier family dynamics.