Famous footballer, Dele Alli recently talked very openly about addiction, abuse, rehab and recovery in a recent interview with Gary Neville at The Overlap.
He bravely spoke out about how childhood trauma led him to use sleeping pills to numb his emotional pain. He also revealed he is now in recovery after receiving treatment for his addiction.
In the interview, Alli details how he hit rock bottom and realised that everything in his life – including his glittering football career – was falling apart due to his addiction.
He knew that taking sleeping pills brought him to that rock bottom. And he realised he was taking the pills in the first place to forget abuse and trauma from his childhood that he had never been able to talk about or get help for.
This realisation helped him see that it was time to seek help, like the interview is aptly named, ‘Now is the time to talk.’
Dele Alli said entering rehab was scary and the biggest thing he had done in his life, but upon reflection he couldn’t believe how much treatment had helped him and his mental health.
In rehab, he was given space to open up and be honest, which helped him learn to see the root of his problems, the things he was using substances to numb.
We think it can be helpful for people in the public eye to be honest about their experiences.
Sometimes hearing their stories can open our eyes to things that might need addressing in ourselves. We can also gain strength and hope from their recovery journeys.
People speaking out so openly helps to beat the stigma of addiction. It can affect anyone. It does not discriminate.
You might be thinking, it’s alright for him, he’s an extremely wealthy famous footballer and can access any treatment he wants.
We want you to know that recovery can be for everyone too, we offer free, time-unlimited group therapy to treat all addictions at our hubs in Stevenage, Watford and St Albans.
If Dele Alli’s story has struck a chord with you, and you feel like you need help, please get in touch.