TRIGGER WARNING: This article contains references to alcohol and drug addiction.David Morrissey, the celebrity best known for his roles in ‘The Walking Dead’ and ‘Daddy Issues’, has openly revealed how his extreme anxiety led him to become an alcoholic. While the 61-year-old has been sober for 21 years, the filmmaker-turned-actress has admitted to self-destructive behavior following the death of her father.
David Morrissey opens up about a terrible time
Speaking about his depressive state, Morrissey said he started drinking after his father died of a haemorrhage at the age of 54, when he was just 15. “Drinking was about anxiety. I’ve had this terrible social anxiety, which helped me overcome it,” he told Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, before stopping to catch up with Lauren Laver. I didn’t drink to be nice. I was alone in the bar. That was very hard and very hard for my ex-wife and the people around me.’
David Morrissey talks about his teenage years
Leaving school at the age of 16, the ‘Sherwood’ actor recounted spending six months traveling with a theater company based in Wolverhampton. “I knew, academically, I was never going to be able to go to college or anything, that was never going to happen to me,” she said, noting that she got it elsewhere. Morrissey further discussed his family situation, saying he cut ties with his mother to find independence. “They say hyper-independence is a trauma response. I tend to cut myself off sometimes,” she said.
David Morrissey comments on giving up alcohol
When Morrissey decided to give up alcohol, the actor remembered the character from Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) he worked with. Called early in the morning, the ‘Gone’ actress stated that the man came to her house, and since then she has not consumed spirits. “When I stopped drinking, I didn’t stop being an alcoholic. My behavior was still very self-destructive for many years,” he added. As an outlet, Morrissey sought acting and experimentation after watching an episode of the 1970s TV drama Colditz, starring Michael Bryant, who goes mad to escape from his situation. “I’m a lot better now, but for a long time I was really telling myself I wasn’t good enough and all that stuff, and that added to the alcoholism and the inability to stop,” commented David Morrissey.DISCLAIMER: If you or someone you know struggles with alcohol or substance abuse, seek help from available helplines or support organizations.
