Craig Conover confessed he battles alcohol addiction on Thursday's "Southern Charm" episode. The reality star, 37, opened up to friend Austen Kroll about his struggles, calling himself an "addict" for the first time.
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Conover sat with Kroll to mend their rocky friendship, as relayed by Page Six. Kroll urged Conover to ease up and hang out more.
"I can't," Conover shot back. "I don't have any leash on myself -- that's any addict." He admitted his fight against alcoholism strains their bond. "Me trying not to be an alcoholic is now affecting my friendship with Austen," he said.
Tears flowed as Conover shared his isolation. "I'm in the trenches by myself, trying to better my life," he told Kroll. "I gotta stay on my couch because if I leave, I'm gonna drink a bottle of Jäger and do dumb s-t." Kroll, also 37, cried too, stunned by the word "addict." "I've never heard you say that," he said. "I've never said it out loud," Conover replied.
Reality Star Struggles
Conover credited ex-girlfriend Paige DeSorbo for his progress. "She was right with me this entire time," he said. "She helped me beat this demon." The Sewing Down South founder called himself "lucky" to escape addiction's grip. Kroll reflected on Conover's past Adderall struggles, saying it "explains a lot."
In a confessional, Kroll didn't sugarcoat it. "Craig's addiction doesn't excuse him from being an a-hole," he said. "It doesn't excuse him from being an angry f-king person." Still, he offered grace. "It's a starting point. I have to give him credit for being open."
The pair hugged, apologized, and vowed to rebuild. "Man, is it freeing to be transparent," Conover said in a confessional. "This conversation could've saved us heartache." He once swapped liquor for beer and wine, he told People. Later, he claimed he "pretty much stopped drinking" entirely.
Conover's sobriety status remains unclear after his breakup with DeSorbo late last year. "Southern Charm" airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo, streaming on Peacock the next day.
