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Alcohol is a substance that most people do not regard as dangerous. When consumed in moderation, it can be considered safe, although recent warnings by Public Health England claim that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption in terms of preventing a number of illnesses, including some forms of cancer.
However, those who abuse alcohol are risking a host of both mental and physical conditions as well as addiction. Alcohol is a highly addictive substance, and many people do not realise that their drinking habits are actually causing damage to their body. It has been estimated that almost nine million individuals in the UK regularly drink more than the recommended weekly allowance of fourteen units, and the majority of them are unaware of the dangers associated with this practice.
Coping with Alcohol
Like many people, singer/songwriter Phil Collins admits that he turned to alcohol to cope with the stresses of everyday life. Phil quit life in the spotlight back in 2007 and immediately struggled to adjust to being at home full-time.
He had planned to spend more time with Orianne, his third wife and their two sons, but things did not go quite according to plan. Their marriage broke down, and they divorced. Phil admitted turning to alcohol and said he spiralled into a cycle of abuse, which resulted in a variety of health problems.
After he had retired, he said he had too much time on his hands and Orianne was suffering from depression after the birth of their second child. He said he did not react well to this, adding, “My dad’s side of me came out. I used to say, ‘Come on, get on with it, youâ’ll be better in the morningâ’. She didn’t get the support she needed from me.”
Loneliness
After the pair split, Orianne met a new partner, and the couple moved to Miami with her children, leaving Phil alone in Switzerland. Phil said, “Suddenly they were a 10-hour flight away. I had a huge hole, and that’s when everything went wrong.”
He admitted to seeking comfort in alcohol and said it was not long before he was drinking vodka from a bottle. This led to physical health problems including acute pancreatitis. He ended up in intensive care and was admitted to rehab. However, even after treatment for addiction, he ended up bingeing on alcohol again during a holiday with his sons Matt and Nick. He was airlifted from Turks and Caicos to a hospital in New York. He was told that his drinking had resulted in permanent damage to his pancreas, and he managed to stay off alcohol for three years after this.
Phil does not believe he was ever an alcoholic and says he has his drinking under control now. He went on to say, “I didn’t drink for all that time but now I am quite capable of having two or three glasses of wine, saying goodnight and walking away.”
A New Life
Remarkably, Phil and Orianne are now back together, and Phil said that the pair bonded over their concern for each other’s health problems. Orianne suffered from health problems after she was left partially paralysed during spinal surgery.
With the pair back together, Phil is about to head off on tour, and his upcoming shows are expected to be a huge success.
Overcoming Addiction
Phil says he never classed himself as an alcoholic and is now practising “controlled drinking”. While this can work for some people, most others caught up in a cycle of alcohol abuse will need to abstain from alcohol for the rest of their lives if they are to overcome their addiction and stay healthy.
For more information on how to overcome addiction, contact us here at Blue Skies Recovery.
Source: Phil Collins: ‘Alcohol nearly killed me after I split from my wife but now we’re back together’ (Mirror.co.uk)
