"And you stop because when you start violating your standards quicker than you can lower them, then it's time to go away," he said.Īfter Gibson's anti-Semitic statements during his arrest were made public, many fans wondered whether that was the real Mel Gibson, or whether he should not be held responsible for what he said because he was drunk. Williams said he had "if there but for the grace of God" moments in his bout with alcoholism. He took a lot of focus from me," he joked. Williams told "Access Hollywood" that Mel Gibson's DUI arrest was a "wake-up call" for him to get help. But even the dog was like, 'What's wrong, boy?' Humiliation gives you humility." Defending Mel "It's hard admitting it, then once you've done that, it's real easy," Williams told Sawyer. Williams' wife of 17 years, Marsha, and three children, Zelda, Cody and Zach, provided added incentive for him to seek help. "You really think you can, then you realize, I need help, and that's the word."
Williams said he had spent a couple of years thinking he could handle his alcohol problem on his own. He said he was treated only for alcohol abuse, not other drugs. Williams said he had spent two months "club medicated" in Oregon's Hazelden Springbrook treatment center.
Then you realize, 'Where am I? I didn't realize I was in Cleveland.'" It lays in wait for the time when you think, 'It's fine now, I'm OK.' Then, the next thing you know, it's not OK. "It's - not caused by anything, it's just there," Williams said. Williams struggled with alcoholism and cocaine abuse in the early 1980s but quit cold turkey after friend and fellow comedian John Belushi's fatal overdose in 1982.Īfter two decades of sobriety and success in his career and family life, what made Williams fall off the wagon? "The same voice that goes, 'Just one.' … And the idea of just one for someone who has no tolerance for it, that's not the possibility." Addiction Lays in Wait