Lindsay Shookus had enough. Ben Affleck’s battle with alcoholism played a role in his recent separation from the Saturday Night Live producer, a source tells Us Weekly exclusively.
“Ben’s drinking was a driving force behind their split,” the insider says of the Justice League star, 46, who returned to rehab on Wednesday, August 22, for the third time after his estranged wife, Jennifer Garner, helped stage an intervention at his bachelor pad in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles.
“The notion that Ben was taking steps to be healthier and sober prior to this intervention isn’t all true,” the source tells Us. “Ben hasn’t been sober or been that present for his family and relationship with Lindsay, and now everyone knows the reason why. He was suffering, and his addiction undoubtedly took over.”
Us Weekly confirmed on Monday, August 20, that Affleck and Shookus, 38, called it quits after more than a year together. He was later spotted out and about with Playboy model Shauna Sexton, who is 26 years his junior, on multiple occasions before he headed to treatment on Wednesday afternoon.
“Lindsay does not want to be involved in the media circus that follows Ben — especially in this difficult time,” the source tells Us. “She is a private person and has taken the necessary steps to avoid the hurtful and often unwelcome attention.”
A second source says the Oscar winner’s romance with Shookus simply “ran its course,” adding, “They tried really hard to make it work, but distance combined with work obligations and other factors made it something that could not work at this time.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
