The news that Ant McPartlin has entered rehab for alcohol and drug addiction has been met with sympathy, but one recovering alcoholic argues that the TV presenter should not apologise for his illness. Chris Owen, who spent time in rehab for drink problems, writes that addiction is a disease, not a moral failing.
Owen, who has been sober for seven and a half years, says that the first step in recovery is admitting you need help, but that shame and guilt can be damaging. He recalls being told in therapy: 'You're not a bad person trying to be good, you're an ill person trying to get, and remain, well.' This, he says, was crucial to his recovery.
McPartlin, one half of Ant and Dec, has said he feels he has let people down and is truly sorry. But Owen insists that no more than someone with cancer has he let anyone down. Addiction is often linked to mental health issues, and it is not self-inflicted, selfish, or wantonly self-destructive, he argues.
Owen praises McPartlin for going public with his struggles, saying it will raise awareness and encourage others to seek help. However, he warns that if society continues to treat addiction as a choice, sufferers will remain hidden, controlled by shame. He urges the public, media, and those around McPartlin to remove blame and shame, enabling more people to seek help sooner.
