Doc on Hasselhoff: There’s No Such Thing As A “Little” Relapse

“There’s no such thing as a little relapse. Once you’ve established that you’re really addicted to alcohol, even a couple of drinks is a major, major problem.”

Those are the words of Dr. Daniel Headrick, a board-certified addiction specialist at Pacific Coast Recovery in Laguna Beach, CA. Dr. Headrick was speaking to RadarOnline.com about David Hasselhoff’s admission that he was drinking before going to the hospital on May 2. Hasselhoff (who has publicly acknowledged his alcoholism) had a blood alcohol level of .39. The actor and his team tried to downplay the incident, even bizarrely blaming his ex-wife, who drove him to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after their 16-year-old daughter found him unconscious on the floor.

Dr. James Cocores, a nationally known addiction expert, told RadarOnline.com. "By all appearances David Hasselhoff is lying about the severity of his drinking problem -- and very sadly this kind of dishonest behavior is all too common among alcoholics and drug addicts.”

Amazingly, one web site not only published Hoff’s story without checking any facts, but they also went on national TV and regurgitated the lies! (The extent of their reporting was to ask the alcoholic if he had been drinking. Excuse me, President Nixon, you didn’t know anything about Watergate, now did you? No? Ok, Thanks!)

Dr. Cocores, a Florida-based psychiatrist, and medical director of Southcoast Psychotherapy and Education Associates, has treated thousands of alcohol and drug addicts. He told RadarOnline.com: ”Alcoholics lie both to themselves and to others about the extent of their drinking. It is extremely common.Alcoholics lie in order to continue drinking -- if they told the truth they would have to admit defeat and quit.”

"It's easier to blame the problems on stomach flu, or to insist that your ex-wife and kids are out to embarrass and shame you, than to face the truth. Sadly, sometimes tragically, the lying can continue for years -- rehab after unsuccessful rehab -- and end in severe debilitation or even death.”

"For someone like David Hasselhoff the only way to long-term recovery from alcoholism is to become completely honest about the extent of the problem."

Neither Cocores nor Headrick have treated the Hoff but both are experts in their field. And in the meantime, Hasselhoff, tellingly, has refused to produce any evidence refuting the report, which has now been independently confirmed by three people on the record.

(Photo: Wenn)