In an appearance on "Good Morning America" today, "20/20" anchor Elizabeth Vargas acknowledged she was an alcoholic and said hiding her problem had been "exhausting."
"I am. I am an alcoholic," Vargas told "GMA" co-anchor George Stephanopoulos in interview that was taped Thursday and aired for the first time today. "It took me a long time to admit that to myself. It took me a long time to admit it to my family, but I am.
"The amount of energy I expended keeping that secret and keeping this problem hidden from view was exhausting," Vargas said, adding that she had done hour-long "20/20" specials on drinking but couldn't acknowledge she had a problem.
"I started thinking 'Well, you know, I'll only drink, you know, on weekends," she said, laughing. "I'll only drink, you know, two glasses of wine a night. I won't drink on nights before I have to get up and do 'Good Morning America.' But those deals never work."
"Even to admit it to myself was admitting, I thought, that I was a failure," Vargas, who has anchored on "GMA," said.
Vargas sought treatment in rehab last fall, and said she's ready to return to the air tonight on "20/20."