Dr Alex George has opened up about his three-year sobriety journey and what he's learnt along the way - including the types of people he thinks shouldn't be touching alcohol.
The YouTuber, also known for his work on Love Island, quit booze back when it started to affect his mental health. In a recent video, Dr George says it all came crashing down when he hit 'rock bottom' in 2022 following the death of his younger brother.
“I remember sitting down at the chair of my barbers looking in the mirror and being like I cannot continue,” he admitted.
“At the start, it was kind of like, gosh, I’m at rock bottom. I’m really struggling. I have to quit.
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“Grief’s overwhelming. I’m 20 stone overweight. Everything’s a mess. I need to stop this thing.
“I ultimately had to make that difficult choice… I don’t want to do this anymore, and it’s time to change.”
The mental health advocate, who shares how to give up alcohol on his social media pages, revealed which three people he believes should never start to begin with.
People who are unable to reach their goals
“If you're stuck in life, if you haven't achieved your dream or you feel like you're not where you want to be, that's definitely one group,” he advised.
People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that often causes a lack of concentration, high energy levels and forgetfulness, with symptoms usually presenting themselves in childhood, according to the NHS.
“If you've got ADHD, I would say it's not for you,” Dr George added.
Anyone struggling with mood
“Anyone struggling with mood definitely should avoid alcohol,” he said.
“I have ADHD, and I definitely struggle with mood. So it doesn't make sense to pour something in that will make at least two out of those three things worse.”
Dr George admitted that his biggest fear was losing his social life if he quit.
“I was really worried that my life was less than because I stopped drinking rather than gaining things.”
“I felt like, well, if I stop drinking, how am I going to socialise? How am I going to have fun? Who am I?
“If you’re removing alcohol and you’re moving away from people, you’re moving away from hobbies, then you need to be aware of that.
“Stopping drinking shouldn’t make you isolated. That’s not the purpose.”
Please drink responsibly. If you want to discuss any issues relating to alcohol in confidence, contact Drinkline on 0300 123 1110, 9am–8pm weekdays and 11am–4pm weekends for advice and support.
Topics: Health, YouTube, Food And Drink
Anish Vij