It happened in 2013. Elizabeth Vargas, the face of ABC’s 20/20, a woman who’d interviewed presidents and braved war zones, was suddenly gone. No news desk. No hard-hitting investigations. Just a vague statement about "personal stories."
Then came the interview with George Stephanopoulos.
Honestly, it was one of those "stop what you're doing" moments in television. Seeing a woman so polished, so together, look into a camera and say, "I am an alcoholic." It didn't fit the image we had of her. But that’s exactly the point Elizabeth has spent the last decade making. Alcoholism doesn't always look like a person under a bridge. Sometimes, it looks like an Emmy-winning journalist with a glass of Chardonnay that her kids called "Mommy’s juice."
The "Perfect" Anchor and the Secret Panic
Elizabeth’s battle with alcohol didn't start with a party. It started with a panic attack. When she was six, her father was sent to Vietnam. That trauma—the sight of her mother leaving for work every morning—triggered a lifelong, crippling anxiety.
She kept it hidden for decades. Basically, she lived two lives.
On screen, she was the steady hand of ABC News. Behind the scenes, she was a woman who felt like she was vibrating with fear. Eventually, she found a "medicine" that worked: wine. She’s described the progression of her elizabeth vargas alcohol addiction in three phases:
- Magic: It made the anxiety vanish.
- Medicine: She needed it to function.
- Misery: It started killing her.
By the time things spiraled, Elizabeth was what experts call a "high-functioning alcoholic." She was anchoring world-class news programs while secretly blacking out. She’d make "deals" with herself—only drinking on weekends, or only two glasses a night. But as anyone who’s been there knows, those deals are lies we tell ourselves to keep the bottle open.
The Relapses Nobody Saw Coming
The road to recovery wasn't a straight line. Not even close. Elizabeth went to rehab three times.
The first time, in 2012, she left early. She thought she "had it." She didn't. Then came the public "outing" in 2013 when the New York Daily News broke the story while she was in treatment in Tennessee. Imagine the most shameful secret of your life being blasted on every supermarket tabloid while you’re trying to learn how to breathe again.
It was excruciating.
She relapsed again in 2014. It was a cycle of "one step forward, two steps back" that eventually cost her her marriage to singer-songwriter Marc Cohn. They divorced shortly after her third stint in rehab. It’s a stark reminder that even with all the money and resources in the world, addiction is a beast that doesn't care about your bank account or your fame.
Why She Finally Broke the Silence
In 2016, she released her memoir, Between Breaths: A Memoir of Panic and Addiction. People asked why she’d expose the "ugly" details. The lethal blood-alcohol levels. The moments she wasn't there for her sons.
She did it because she felt lonely.
"I have never felt as lonely in my entire life as I did when I was struggling with alcohol because I was too afraid to tell anybody what was going on."
She realized that the stigma was the very thing keeping people—especially women—from getting help. They’re afraid of the professional consequences. They’re afraid of being judged as "bad moms." By being the "face" of the struggle, she gave others permission to admit they were struggling too.
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Life in 2026: Sobriety and the "Heart of the Matter"
Fast forward to today. Elizabeth Vargas has been sober since 2014. She’s hit that ten-year milestone, which is huge. But she’ll be the first to tell you that "sober" isn't a destination you reach and then stop.
It’s a daily choice.
She’s now a massive advocate. She serves on the board of the Partnership to End Addiction and hosts their podcast, Heart of the Matter. She’s not just reporting the news anymore; she’s changing the narrative around recovery. She talks to celebrities, athletes, and everyday parents about the "rewiring" of the brain.
What We Can Learn from Her Journey
If you're looking at Elizabeth's story and seeing pieces of yourself, there are some real, actionable takeaways here. She didn't get sober because of a "magic" rehab center. She got sober because she finally stopped lying.
- Acknowledge the "Why": For Elizabeth, it was anxiety. If you don't treat the underlying fire, the smoke (the addiction) will always come back.
- Connection is the Antidote: Loneliness feeds addiction. Reaching out—whether to a friend, a sponsor, or a professional—is the first crack in the prison wall.
- Accept the Messiness: Relapse happens. It’s not a failure; it’s a data point. Elizabeth’s third time was the charm, but she had to survive the first two to get there.
- Ditch the "High-Functioning" Label: It’s a trap. Being able to hold down a job doesn't mean you don't have a problem; it just means you're under more pressure to keep the secret.
Next Steps for Recovery Support:
- Identify the Trigger: Keep a journal for one week. Note every time you feel the urge to drink and what happened right before that feeling hit. Is it stress? Loneliness? Boredom?
- Find Your "People": Look into groups like AA, SMART Recovery, or even online communities. The goal is to find one person you can be 100% honest with.
- Consult a Professional: Dual-diagnosis treatment (treating mental health and addiction simultaneously) was key for Elizabeth. Seek out providers who specialize in both.
Elizabeth Vargas proved that you can stare into the abyss and pull yourself back out. It takes guts, it takes honesty, and most importantly, it takes asking for help.