Elizabeth Vargas Returns to Rehab

By Chris Ariens 

GerogeVargasABC News anchor Elizabeth Vargas has returned to an alcohol rehabilitation center. Vargas says it was during her vacation this weekend that she decided to return to rehab. “As so many other recovering alcoholics know, overcoming the disease can be a long and incredibly difficult process,” Vargas writes in a statement. “I feel I have let myself, my co-workers and most importantly my family down and for that I am ashamed and sorry.”

“Nothing is more important than Elizabeth’s health and well-being,” ABC says in a statement. “We stand squarely behind her. Our thoughts are with Elizabeth and her family, and we look forward to having her back at ABC News when she feels ready to return.”

Vargas checked herself into a alcohol rehabilitation facility last November. Upon her return to ABC News in January, Vargas sat down with George Stephanopoulos to discuss her addiction and recovery. She says it all started with panic attacks as a child, which continued into adulthood. “Anchoring the evening news, I had to take beta blockers because I was so nervous and so anxious,” she said. “That’s exhausting to live like that and it becomes very easy to think, ‘I deserve this glass of wine. I’m so stressed out and I’m keeping it hidden.”

Advertisement

In her statement today, Varas says, “I am committed to battling and addressing this debilitating disease and want to thank everyone who has offered their unwavering support during this trying time.”

The New York Post first reported the news.

Advertisement