Michael Phelps Begins Dealing With His Substance Abuse Problem

Michael Phelps may go down in history as one of the most successful American athletes of all time. The Olympian’s speed and strength have earned him countless medals and world championships. Over the course of his career he has become an American hero — the face of the nation’s ambition and resilience.

However, to quote a popular song, even heroes have the right to bleed. Phelps has very human problems. His alcohol addiction and drug use have resulted in multiple scandals and visits to rehab. His performance at the 2012 London Olympics was underwhelming, despite his haul of medals. Many pundits blamed his alcohol use.

In 2014, Phelps finally hit rock bottom when he was arrested for a DUI in Baltimore. The world’s fastest swimmer was caught swerving across double-yellow lines, driving 84 mph in a 45 mph zone. Highway patrolmen pulled him over and administered two field sobriety tests, both of which he failed.

Phelps’ DUI was the culmination of years of self-destructive living. He had been previously convicted of a DUI in 2004. In 2009 he lost major corporate sponsors after being photographed smoking cannabis, an illegal drug at the time. Friends knew he would eventually end up in rehab. His coach, Bob Bowman, was actually relieved when he heard about the latest DUI.

“I had been living in fear that I was going to get a call that something had happened,” Bowman said. “Honestly, I thought, the way he was going, he was going to kill himself. Not take his own life, but something like the DUI, but worse.”

In court, Phelps was found guilty and sentenced to a year in prison; however, because of his commitment to rehab and recovery, the sentence was suspended. Instead, Phelps was placed on probation for 18 months.

“I was in a really dark place,” he said. “Not wanting to be alive anymore.” After the sentence, Phelps locked himself in his house for several days. Only after a visit with friend and football legend Ray Lewis was he prepared to take action. He enrolled himself into an alcohol and drug rehab center in Arizona.

Many months later, things are looking much better for America’s favorite swimmer. After having successfully completed rehab, he has refused to take any drug or alcoholic beverage. His coaches say he’s in the best form of his life. His next target is the 2016 summer Olympics, where he will hope to add yet more medals to his already burgeoning collection.

Tanner Wadsworth is a health writer for Fusion 360, an SEO and content marketing agency. Information provided by Odyssey House. Follow on Twitter