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Paul Gascoigne: boredom drove me back to drink | Paul Gascoigne: boredom drove me back to drink |
(6 months later) | |
Former England international Paul Gascoigne has blamed boredom for his latest struggle to beat alcohol addiction and said he would not rule out a return to drinking. | Former England international Paul Gascoigne has blamed boredom for his latest struggle to beat alcohol addiction and said he would not rule out a return to drinking. |
Gascoigne spent a month in a rehabilitation clinic in Phoenix, Arizona, after he suffered another relapse in his battle against alcoholism. The setback came to public attention during a charity appearance in Northampton in January where he broke down sobbing on stage while attempting to take part in a question and answer session with fans. | Gascoigne spent a month in a rehabilitation clinic in Phoenix, Arizona, after he suffered another relapse in his battle against alcoholism. The setback came to public attention during a charity appearance in Northampton in January where he broke down sobbing on stage while attempting to take part in a question and answer session with fans. |
He returned to the UK this month after his latest spell in rehab, which was organised by former England cricketer Ronnie Irani and Radio 2 presenter Chris Evans, a long-term friend of Gascoigne. | He returned to the UK this month after his latest spell in rehab, which was organised by former England cricketer Ronnie Irani and Radio 2 presenter Chris Evans, a long-term friend of Gascoigne. |
"There was no one to blame for my relapse. I might drink in the future but that's what it is, being an alcoholic," he said. "I didn't respond to [chief executive] Steve Spiegel [at] the Providence Projects [an alcohol and drug rehab organisation] and I should have done when I was feeling down and the support I got around the Providence was fantastic. | "There was no one to blame for my relapse. I might drink in the future but that's what it is, being an alcoholic," he said. "I didn't respond to [chief executive] Steve Spiegel [at] the Providence Projects [an alcohol and drug rehab organisation] and I should have done when I was feeling down and the support I got around the Providence was fantastic. |
"I was just bored, that's the worst thing for me but I suppose it was me that made myself bored." | "I was just bored, that's the worst thing for me but I suppose it was me that made myself bored." |
Gascoigne, who played for Tottenham, Newcastle, Rangers, Everton and Lazio, insisted he is focused on his recovery although he is taking things one day at a time. "The last 11 years, I've probably drank 14 months out of it. The press say I'm drinking all the time, it's not. I was three years sober and then I had a four or five weeks binge. It's just those little binges, so I've just got to stop those binges." | Gascoigne, who played for Tottenham, Newcastle, Rangers, Everton and Lazio, insisted he is focused on his recovery although he is taking things one day at a time. "The last 11 years, I've probably drank 14 months out of it. The press say I'm drinking all the time, it's not. I was three years sober and then I had a four or five weeks binge. It's just those little binges, so I've just got to stop those binges." |
"When I'm drinking, I forget about everyone and don't realise the hurt I'm doing to everyone but I've also got to think about the hurt I was doing to myself. | "When I'm drinking, I forget about everyone and don't realise the hurt I'm doing to everyone but I've also got to think about the hurt I was doing to myself. |
"I don't know if I'm ever going to touch a drink again. I just know that I'm not drinking today." | "I don't know if I'm ever going to touch a drink again. I just know that I'm not drinking today." |
Gascoigne's battle against alcohol addiction surfaced during his football career when he was admitted to the Priory hospital near Southampton in 1998 shortly after his divorce from wife Sheryl. | Gascoigne's battle against alcohol addiction surfaced during his football career when he was admitted to the Priory hospital near Southampton in 1998 shortly after his divorce from wife Sheryl. |
He has previously been admitted to rehab four times and was detained under the Mental Health Act in 2008 after being arrested in Newcastle. | He has previously been admitted to rehab four times and was detained under the Mental Health Act in 2008 after being arrested in Newcastle. |
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