KEYT anchor Paula Lopez is speaking out on her public intoxication arrest, admitting she has been in “professional medical treatment for the disease of alcoholism for a number of months.”
“I have dealt with anxiety and depression for many years. Excessive self-medication is a fairly recent phenomenon for me. It has increased over time. I have had substantial periods of abstinence and sobriety,” Lopez said in a statement posted on KEYT’s website. “As can occur in the recovery process, I have also had failures and relapses … Much was written about my prior medical circumstances. All that was released to the media regarding my medical circumstances was true. But it was not complete. That is no longer the case.”
Lopez was arrested Monday for public intoxication hear her Santa Barbara home. Earlier this year, she took several months away from the Santa Barbara ABC affiliate after her family briefly reported her missing.
“I am aware of the recent developments with Paula Lopez but I am unable to comment on any employee’s health or personnel issues. I will continue to monitor the developments closely, but as I am sure you can understand, I am unable to release any further statements concerning Paula,” KEYT general manager Mark Danielson said in a statement to TVSpy.