Dr Alex George has won praise for showcasing his incredible one-year transformation after choosing to quit alcohol.
The Love Island star, who works as the UK Youth Mental Health Ambassador, decided to ditch alcohol at the end of last year.
At the time, he admitted he “didn’t want to be here anymore”, and realised “things needed to change”.
Taking to Instagram on Thursday, Alex shared a carousel of photos, showing off his positive transformation nearly one year on.
The reality star penned: “Ok here goes. A year ago almost to the day, I sat down in my hairdresser’s chair and looked in the mirror. I looked into my eyes and all I could see was darkness.”
“A year ago I was in a really bad place. I didn’t want to be here anymore. It felt like I had faced trauma after trauma over the last few years. One thing after the other, and I couldn’t see a way through.”
The doctor, whose 19-year-old brother Llŷr tragically took his own life in July 2020, continued: “My mental, physical and emotional health was in an awful place. When Llŷr passed away, we promised each other as a family, that no matter what, we would stay. And so, If I had to stay, things needed to change.”
Alex continued: “In the past I would have concluded that me being overweight was the issue, that if I fixed that I would be ‘happy’.”
“I have learnt my lessons however, the last photo in the carousel was me at my thinnest, you only have to look in my eyes to conclude the rest. What I needed to fix, was on the inside.”
“So I decided to walk, or stomp as I like to call it, outside in nature. These were my literal first steps towards recovery and @thestompcast was born.”
“As I fell back in love with exercise, I realised that there was one thing I’d need to let go of, if I was going to get my health back on track, alcohol. So on the 4th of December last year I quit alcohol. And never looked back.”
“Stopping drinking and losing the numbness it provided, meant I had to feel,” Alex explained. “And it was only then the healing could begin.”
“Healing has been incredibly painful, facing my demons and my faults, looking trauma in the eye, it’s been hard. Harder than I can ever explain. The gym was light work, the real work was in the therapy room.”
“I am, like everyone else, a perfectly imperfect work in progress.”
“There is so much more for me to say, and explain. It’s hard to open up and say you really haven’t been ok. And that you really could not be here today.”
“But it’s the truth and I really hope that by me being open about suicidality, it might help others know they can get through. Never give up. Ever.”
“I have expanded on this conversation in a raw new series, called ‘Dr Alex’s Diaries’, available on @thestompcast on Apple Podcasts.”
“As Winston Churchill once said, if you’re going through hell, keep going. Thank you for your support ❤️.”
“Please don’t put me on a body transformation pedestal,” Alex urged. “My body is perfectly imperfect and I’m cool with that.”
“Move, nourish & love my body and mind. Not punish, restrict & hate,” the Love Island star explained.
Joe Wicks, a.k.a. The Body Coach, commented: “Legend. Love this message mate and you look so well mate. Awesome journey. ❤️❤️❤️,” while Bear Grylls penned: “Not easy! Well done you buddy.”
One of Alex’s Instagram followers wrote: “You look great Alex, that’s there for us all to see, but if we could go in with a camera and see you from the inside, then we’d see the true journey for sure. Well done you, healthy mind, healthy body, and looking fabulous 💙🙌🏽.”
Meanwhile, another said: “A role model if ever I saw one! Leading the way for mental and physical health 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼,” and a third agreed: “A real inspiration ……it’s so nice for you to be able to share your openness and honesty. Being in a good place with your mental health is so very precious and priceless. ❤️☺️.”
If you or someone you know has been affected by anything in this article, please visit www.pieta.ie or call 1800 247 247.
