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Michael Phelps Speaks Out About Struggles With Alcohol [Video]

By Mandy Robinson
Published on: 06:51 PST, Apr 27, 2016

Michael Phelps may be an amazing athlete, but he has also been through his own fair share of struggles. He was arrested twice for DUI, and now Phelps is speaking out on the issues he dealt with in his past. These arrests were actually 10 years apart. Michael sat down with Today‘s Matt Lauer and gave an interview, where he shared things that fans never knew about Phelps. Michael is now revealing that at one point he “didn’t want to see another day.” Things were pretty hard for him, but his answers to some questions are a bit confusing.

When it comes to people that he hurt, Michael Phelps knows that this was all really hard on his mother. Here is what Phelps revealed.

“I think my mom was happy that I was alive because I think she saw the path I was going down. I think a lot of people close to me saw it. And I was going fast. Fast. Honestly, at one point I felt like I didn’t want to see another day.”

Even though Michael Phelps life may look like it is all perfect, there was something going on behind closed doors. His first arrest was in 2004, and the second one didn’t happen until 2014. When Phelps was arrested in 2014, he was suspended for six months and was also forced to go to rehab for six weeks. Now, Michael Phelps feels like that night happened for a reason. He was in a downward spiral, and this could be what saved him. Michael even admits that his arrests might have been a cry for help. If that is what it was, then it worked out, because Phelps does seem to have his act together now.

One thing that Michael Phelps isn’t sure about is if he would call himself an alcoholic. He revealed his thoughts.

“I don’t know. I honestly don’t know. I know I have probably moments where I have gone off the deep end where I shouldn’t. And, and — I would say binged more than anything else.”

Things are really looking up for Michael Phelps now, and he is happier than he has ever been. Phelps is engaged to Nicole Johnson, and they have a baby on the way that is due in June. It looks like he has turned things around.

Washington Post shared that Matt Lauer did push Michael Phelps on if his time in rehab could have been a PR stunt or not. We are just 100 days away from the Rio Olympics. Here is what Matt said to Phelps.

“So you checked yourself into The Meadows for 45 days. You’ve said you don’t know if you’re an alcoholic. Maybe you have a binge problem. So did you check yourself into treatment because you had a drinking problem? Or because you had a public relations problem?”

Michael Phelps did have a great answer for that question. He said, “I checked myself in because I think I was at a point in my life where something needed to change. And I needed to figure things out.” Of course, Michael Phelps will probably be asked about his big arrest and time in rehab a lot more before the Olympics start. Phelps will also be having a baby around that same time.

Did you know that Michael Phelps had so many issues with alcohol in his past? Do you feel like he finally has his act together? Sound off in the comments section below on your thoughts. Don’t miss Michael Phelps in the Rio Olympics this summer.

[Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images]

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