Anna Lazarus Caplan – People.com

“I had an issue and a problem that needed to be fixed,” the Heels actor said in a candid video over the weekend

Alexander Ludwig is celebrating five years of sobriety.

The Heels actor, 30, marked the milestone in a video posted on social media Sunday.

“It’s pretty crazy to me that five years ago to the day, I was so lost, so confused and so scared about where my life would go,” Alexander said. “All I knew was that I had an issue and a problem that needed to be fixed.”

“I’ve lost a lot of friends to this disease, so many people didn’t make it and I don’t really know why, because there’s so many reasons why that should have been me and not them,” he continued. “I don’t want to make this video as, like, congratulatory to myself — it’s really just for anybody that needs to see this.”

Alexander also gave a glimpse at the road he has traveled in his post — and offered hope for those who are sharing his journey.

“If you’re struggling, be brave enough to ask for help and take it from me, there really is hope at the end of the road, there really is a light at the end of the tunnel. It’s actually staggering to me how much has changed in my life since I got out until now,” he said.

“It’s amazing what can happen when you decide to love yourself and commit to loving yourself and to growing every day as a human being as opposed to satiating these impulses we all have,” Alexander added.

The Canadian actor and rising country musician, who has been married to wife Lauren Ludwig since January 2021, also shared that his five-year sobriety “birthday” is on the same day as the three-year anniversary of his first date with his wife. “I’d say it’s pretty serendipitous,” Alexander wrote about the coinciding dates.

The Hunger Games alum’s candid post came about as he and his wife prepare to welcome their first baby — a girl — this spring.

Back in February, Alexander and Lauren shared that they were expecting a child in May, after suffering three miscarriages.

“It’s been a long road, and we wanted to wait until things were looking promising this time around,” Alexander wrote alongside a photograph of himself cradling his wife’s baby bump.

“Thank you guys for all of the support. We couldn’t be more grateful. ❤️,” he added.