Steve-O is best known for his pranks and fearless attitude on Jackass, first the television show and then the movies. Anyone who has viewed these programs would at least suspect that alcohol and drug use play a big role in the lack of common sense that Steve-O and his crew of friends often displayed. The pranks were usually intended to shock and disgust the viewers, and the individuals involved usually risked being hurt or violated in some way. Many of the pranks were so far outside of the usual stunts seen that viewers could not seem to stop watching. Steve-O was the leader of the pack, with stunts that were over the top and extremely daring. Today he is a different man, thanks to an intervention that caused Steve-O to examine his life and change his ways for good.
After a past that included substance abuse on a wide scale, and addictions to a number of substances that included cocaine, nitrous oxide, and PCP, Steve-O has turned his life around. Between the intervention that the Jackass crew held for him and the loss of cast mate Ryan Dunn last year due to a car accident caused by alcohol abuse Steve-O has realized the dangers that substance abuse pose. After the initial rehab stay for substance abuse treatment Steve-O decided to continue treatment on his own, and he chose to return to the rehab center for another few weeks of intense treatment. Today Steve-O has been sober for 4 years, and his recovery has gone very well. Since he received substance abuse treatment his public appearances have picked up, and Steve-O has been doing very well without the drugs and excessive risks that were common in the past.
