THE ESSENTIAL
- In the show “It begins today”, Guillaume tells how he fell into alcoholism.
- After seven cures, he is now celebrating ten years of sobriety.
- Alcoholism, a disease recognized by the WHO, kills millions of people every year.
He believed “see yourself die”. It is with these words that Guillaume, a former alcoholic, shocked viewers of the show “It begins today”, broadcast on France 2 on Thursday December 11. Like him, millions of people around the world are slowly sinking into an often trivialized addiction: alcoholism.
An insidious disease
Guillaume says that the addiction came little by little over the years. It all started at nightlife parties, with a few celebratory drinks. Then, gradually, consumption intensified until it became daily. Sometimes two liters of whiskey a day. Lies to cover up the smell of alcohol. “We think they believe it,” he explains, speaking of his colleagues, but “no one was fooled.”
Guillaume also talks about his shame. “I was disgusted with myself. I ended up drinking alone […] I was just going out to buy my bottle. I walked with my head down.”testifies this father who addiction has isolated, cut off from the world. Then came the withdrawal symptoms: tremors, withdrawal attacks, symptoms that he “wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy”. He admits to having served his glasses of whiskey above the sink so as not to spoil anything. “I couldn’t even pour a glass anymore. I adopted the straw system.”
To finally overcome his addiction, Guillaume says he went through seven detoxification treatments. Sober for almost ten years, he is now part of an association helping alcoholics.
A pathology recognized by the WHO
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized alcoholism as a disease since 1978. And a disease that kills: every year, three million people die from alcohol dependence worldwide, including 49,000 in France, according to the authorities. The cause: cancers, chronic diseases (affecting the liver, pancreas, heart, etc.), psychological disorders (anxiety, depression, behavioral disorders), early dementia, etc. The drink is involved in more than 7% of illnesses and premature deaths in Europe. It is also the third leading cause of morbidity worldwide, after hypertension and smoking. Since 1988, the WHO has even classified alcohol as a proven carcinogen.
As a reminder, Public Health France recommends not exceeding two glasses per day, not every day, without going beyond ten glasses per week. The ideal is of course not to touch a drop.
