English football player Dele Alli discusses his time in rehab for addiction following sexual abuse as a child

English football player Dele Alli discusses his time in rehab for addiction following sexual abuse as a child.

English football player Dele Alli competes for Everton in the Premier League as an attacking midfielder. Prior to joining Everton in February 2022, he played for Tottenham Hotspur. He has also participated in the national football squad of England.

Dele Alli, a midfielder for Everton, recently disclosed that he spent six weeks receiving addiction, mental health, and trauma treatment at a rehab center in the United States. He stated he hopes to inspire others via his experience.

The former England midfielder revealed in an interview with The Overlap, Gary Neville's YouTube channel, released on Thursday that he had developed a dependency on sleep aids as a way to cope with traumas from his past, including being sexually abused by a family member at the age of six.

After spending the previous season on loan at Turkish club Besiktas, where he made 15 appearances across all competitions, Alli returned to Everton this summer. He claimed he could feel a negative cycle starting again when he was told he required another surgery, which is when he decided to get treatment.

"In my view, in circumstances like that, you can't just be told to go there; you have to be informed and make your own decisions or it won't work. To be completely honest, I was mired in a bad cycle. I was relying on things that were hurting me, Alli stated.

"I was winning the struggle, getting up every day, and showing my joy by beaming as I headed to exercise. When I was hurt and told I required surgery, I could feel the emotions I get when the cycle starts, and I didn't want it to happen any longer. But on the inside, I was obviously losing the battle. It was time for me to change it.

The 27-year-old Alli claimed to have fled the facility three weeks ago and said he is now telling his experience to help others.

"I want to let other people know that they are not alone in their feelings, that they can talk to others, and that being vulnerable or asking for help doesn't make you weak. That possesses a lot of power. I'm happy to share my experience and to have emerged as a result, he said.

Growing up in Milton Keynes, Alli described the traumas he had as a child, including being molested at age six by his mother's friend, starting to smoke at age seven, and selling drugs at age eight. At age 11, Alli was adopted by "an amazing" and loving family.

I mean, I don't think I've been aware of [my problems] for a long time; I was doing things to dull the feelings I felt, he stated.

"I mean, whether it was drinking or whatever else, I wasn't aware that I was doing it for that reason. The things that a lot of people do, but if you misuse it and utilize it improperly, and you're not truly doing it for pleasure, but rather to try to chase something or hide from something, it can definitely cause a lot of damage to you.

Alli admitted that he tried to hide his addiction from his adopted family and from colleagues who offered to help and that at the age of 24, he thought about giving up playing professional football.

"It's difficult to pinpoint a specific time [when I first sensed that something wasn't right]." I suppose the most depressing time for me was when [José] Mourinho was the manager; I was maybe 24 at the time. I recall one such session where I was in a horrible mood and had to leave right away for training since he had stopped playing with me.

"I recall asking myself whether I could retire now, at the age of 24, and do what I love. I know it sounds dramatic, but I was literally staring in the mirror. For me, it was heartbreaking to even consider retiring at the age of 24. That was yet another burden I had to bear, and it hurt me a lot.

After moving to Tottenham from MK Dons as a teenager in 2015, Alli flourished there and was a vital member of Mauricio Pochettino's

squad that advanced to the 2019 Champions League final. He was also a standout for England at the international level, reaching his peak during the 2018 World Cup semifinal run.

However, his form has drastically deteriorated since then. He came to Everton in January 2022 after losing favor at Spurs, however, he has only made 13 Premier League appearances for the team.

He claimed that he is now prepared to compete for a spot in Sean Dyche's team this year and that mentally he is in the "best place I've ever been."

"I take no responsibility; I owe a lot of people thanks, and I'm proud of who I am today,"

Added Alli. "I thank a lot of individuals for the difficult times they put me through because I believe that they made me stronger and tougher because they gave me the courage and strength to face difficulties that, if they had been thrust upon me, I might not have been able to handle. But I have a lot of people to thank because they contributed to giving me the desire and the fervor to continue on and battle and disprove them.

"I think the main thing for me is I want to prove myself right because I know how good I can be as a player and as a person. It's important for me that this battle against myself, I will win, and I do prove to myself I was right about all these things."

Many athletes have expressed their support, including former Spurs teammate and England captain Harry Kane, who stated he was proud of Alli.