Tom Holland felt ‘enslaved’ to alcohol before sobriety journey

Cast member Tom Holland attends the premiere for the film Spider-Man: No Way Home. Picture: Reuters/Mario Anzuoni

Cast member Tom Holland attends the premiere for the film Spider-Man: No Way Home. Picture: Reuters/Mario Anzuoni

Published Jul 11, 2023

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Tom Holland has admitted sobriety is the "best thing he's ever done" after becoming "enslaved" to alcohol.

The 'Spider-Man' actor has been sober for over a year now, and he has candidly spoke about his addiction to booze as he realised he needed to make a chance.

Appearing on 'On Purpose with Jay Shetty', he said: "I was definitely addicted to alcohol, not shying away from that at all.

"I think that anyone that has a beer everyday has probably got a little bit of a problem."

Holland, 27, would "drink and drink and drink and drink" until breaking point, and then wake up in the morning with "a terrible headache".

He found himself wondering: "Why am I enslaved this drink? Why am I so obsessed by the idea of having this drink?

"I would look back and recognise that I would go to events for work and, you know, I can't enjoy myself until I've had a few beers, and I just felt so much pressure."

He decided to cut out booze by taking on the 'dry January' challenge, and then trying to extend it to February as he tried to avoid anywhere with alcohol.

He explained: "I felt like I couldn’t be social. I felt like I couldn’t go to the pub and have a lime soda. I couldn’t go out for dinner.

"I was really, really struggling and I started to really worry that maybe I had an alcohol problem.”

However, he reached a turning point as he approached his birthday last month, and set himself a target if hitting "six months without alcohol" to prove he doesn't "have a problem".

He continued: "And by the time I got to June 1, I was the happiest I've ever been in my life... I could sleep better. I could handle problems better.

Things that would go wrong on set, that would normally set me off, I could take in my stride. I had such better mental clarity. I felt healthier, I felt fitter."

Holland - whose actions have also inspired his own mother to also go sober - admitted he is in a much better place now.

He said: “I just felt so much pressure, and this is one of the [reasons] why I’ve sort of distanced myself from the rugby community 'cause so much of it is about how much can you drink. 'Let’s get you as drunk as possible'.

"It’s honestly been the best thing I’ve ever done.”