LEEDS RHINOS forward James Bentley has gone sober after admitting he found himself in “a pretty dark place” in recent times.
At the age of 26, Bentley is a Super League Grand Final winner with St Helens but made the move to Leeds ahead of the 2022 season.
Injuries and suspension hampered his first season in a Leeds shirt whilst his off-season ahead of 2023 was marred by an incident with England forward Victor Radley.
Now, though Bentley is celebrating 100 days sober after giving up alcohol, turning his life around in the process.
Bentley posted on Instagram that he was “celebrating 100 days sober in style”.
He added: “After numerous times of saying I was done with drinking I’d always fall back into it saying things would be different and I’d learn to control myself which it might have been for a couple of weeks but it’d soon go back to my old ways which would take me to a pretty dark place.
“But this finally changed after an event that I feel has changed my mindset completely on life forever and that I didn’t want to keep doing what I was doing and ruining everything around me hating myself.
“When I look back now I was just pressing a self destruct button. The hardest part has been admitting and accepting I had a problem making me feel weak but I now realised how strong it is to do that.
“It’s not been an easy road, there’s been some pretty testing and difficult times but since stopping I feel I’ve grown so much as a person I’m enjoying life so much more, my confidence is through the roof, I feel I’m better to be around, I’m enjoying training so much more and I’ve lost over a stone!
“Relationships with friends and family are so much better. I’m growing my own business away from rugby it’s given me so much more time back to do things that are way more productive and rewarding.
“If anyone is thinking of stopping or feel they’re in a similar situation to where I was drop me a DM (direct message) I’ll help however I can!”
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