Israeli Actor Itai Turgeman Reveals Struggle With Severe Alcohol Addiction
Translated & summarized from Kipa by baba
Israeli actor Itai Turgeman will reveal his past struggle with severe alcohol addiction on the upcoming "HaMitzbach HaMenatzeach VIP" episode. He initially resisted seeking help, believing his career and social circle normalized his drinking. Turgeman now acknowledges the severity of his past addiction and links his sense of self-worth to his career success.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Actor Itai Turgeman will discuss his severe alcohol addiction on "HaMitzbach HaMenatzeach VIP".
- He initially struggled to accept his addiction, believing his career and social life were stable.
- Turgeman's psychotherapist suggested he join an addiction support group.
- He now recognizes the severity of his past addiction.
- Turgeman links his self-worth to his fame and success on set.
Israeli actor Itai Turgeman is set to reveal a painful personal aspect of his life on the upcoming episode of the cooking show "HaMitzbach HaMenatzeach VIP" (The Winning Kitchen VIP), airing on Keshet 12. In a preview of the episode, Turgeman shares with fellow contestants his battle with addiction and the process that led him to realize he needed help.
Turgeman described how alcohol quickly became his closest companion, stating that the situation was worrying on all fronts. A turning point came when his psychotherapist suggested he join a support group for addicts. Initially, he struggled to accept the offer, believing his situation wasn't that severe. "I told him, 'What do you mean? I have a career, I'm fine, I'm just surrounded by a society that normalizes it,'" he recalled, clarifying that this normalization included frequent outings and substance use.
Even his first meeting with the support group didn't immediately lead to full recognition of his problem. He admitted to feeling embarrassed, telling the group, "I don't think I'm such a severe case." However, looking back, Turgeman now understands how far he was from acknowledging the reality of his addiction, stating, "Today I can say that I was in a severe case."
He also discussed the connection between his career and his self-worth, explaining that his passion for acting evolved into a necessity for feeling good about himself. "It started from a dream and pure love, and it turned into 'I act because I have to, I act because it's my cure,'" he shared. "Because only when I'm on set, and only when I'm famous, and only when I'm at the peak of my popularity, do I feel worthy."
Mentioned
