Ant McPartlin, the famous 42-year-old Geordie TV star, has quit alcohol rehab after only 4 weeks of inpatient treatment.
Ant recently checked himself into an unknown private clinic, following a drink driving conviction that resulted in a 3-car crash.
The Saturday Night Takeaway presenter, one half of the outstandingly successful Ant and Dec duo, was fined a record-breaking £86,000 and banned from driving for 20 months.
This is the highest financial penalty ever issued for drink driving by an English Court.
Troubled Ant has suffered a very publicised battle with alcohol and the synthetic opiate painkiller Tramadol. Seemingly, his addiction difficulties started a few years ago after an operation to his knee.
This was Ant’s second admission to a private alcohol rehab clinic for intensive treatment. It was hoped by many, that this time he would stay longer for a full period of rehabilitation.
Alcoholism Affects Those You Love
Not only has Ants alcoholism and prescription drug addiction potentially destroyed his TV career forever, (at the very least for the foreseeable future) it has also impacted on his family and his loyal, lifelong friend Declan Donnelly.
Dec has made his career as part of Ant and Dec; the comedy act duo with unrivalled onscreen chemistry that touched the hearts of the nation, is sadly no more.
Both presenters future careers are now in question and Ants wife and family are undoubtedly devastated by recent events.
For Ant to check out of rehab so soon, will have come as a huge disappointment to them all.
The Denial of Addiction
Ant’s actions are representative of someone who is in denial around the seriousness of their condition. Addiction is a life-threatening brain disease, that requires long term and ongoing professional treatment in order to overcome.
Ants drink driving could have easily been so much worse and could have resulted in someone being seriously injured or even killed. Yet this doesn’t seem to have sunk in.
4 Weeks rehab is the absolute minimum that Rehab Today by PCP recommends. Ideally, a full alcohol primary care 12-week programme should be undertaken; especially in instances where previous addiction treatment has failed.
Alcohol Recovery Takes Time
Just as someone does not become an alcoholic overnight, long term alcohol recovery cannot be attained overnight either. It is a slow process of rewiring the brain to think differently, using evidence-based addiction and alcohol treatments.
Addiction is not something that can ever be cured, but remission and continued recovery are possible. It does, however, require commitment, honesty, willingness and the correct addiction help in order to achieve.
What Ant may not realise, is that one alcoholic drink or one opiate painkiller can take him back to full-blown alcoholism and addiction.
Euphoric Recall
Ants brain, through repeated exposure to alcohol and prescription drugs, will have rewired itself to compulsively seek and take alcohol and drugs, with little premeditation or thought of the possible consequences.
An alcoholic or addicts brain will only recall the times where drinking and drugging were good. They will be convinced that they can drink and use safely again and enjoy it. Hence why the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Public Health England (PHE) has now recognised it as a “chronic relapsing brain disease”
Alcoholism and addiction are two of a kind, both are mental health disorders, both are incurable diseases and both respond to the same treatment methods. Alcohol and drugs, when abused and taken frequently, cause long term changes to the brain’s chemistry, structure and the brain’s pleasure/reward centre.
Once clean and sober, the mindset that drives the addiction has to be tackled, if the person is to stay in recovery. They will need to maintain their new way of thinking by implementing certain practices to stop the brain from going backwards. Detox alone is not sufficient. Intensive psychological repair is required through specialist addiction treatment.
Alcohol Rehab Help
If you are struggling with an addiction to alcohol or anything else for that matter, Rehab Today by PCP is a leading expert in UK addiction treatment. We offer affordable private alcohol rehab of the highest standards. We are 100% committed to helping you get well and stay well.
We sincerely hope that Ant is implementing other measures back home in order to sustain his recovery. Recovery has to come first, or everything that is put before it will be lost anyway. That is our experience of treating thousands of individuals over the years with alcohol and drug addiction or abuse problems.