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Millie Mackintosh reveals she’s 12 weeks sober after ditching alcohol due to it being ‘huge trigger’ for anxiety-Lucy Norris-Entertainment – Metro
The Chelsea resident’s finding her decision is the best move forward for now.
Millie revealed she was 12 weeks booze free on Instagram (Picture: Karwai Tang/WireImage)
Millie Mackintosh has revealed she’s been sober for 12 weeks after giving up alcohol for mental health reasons.
The 33-year-old former reality star shared that the decision to stop drinking alcohol was in an effort to lessen her anxiety as it was becoming a ‘huge trigger’.
Speaking openly about her mental health struggles which she has had since she was a teenager, Millie explained that she will continue to take medication prescribed to her in August.
As well as updating her 1.4 million Instagram followers on her ‘breakthrough’ she credited therapy for, she went on to document the added benefits she was feeling since being booze-free.
Under a glowing selfie, the mother-of-two revealed how she was feeling and encouraged more open conversations around the topic.
‘I had a breakthrough in therapy and decided to stop drinking alcohol, I didn’t want to admit it but it’s a huge trigger for my anxiety.
The reality star has two children with husband and former Made In Chelsea cast member, Hugo Taylor (Picture: Getty Images for Boodles)
‘It has an instant negative effect on my mental health and right now I’m focused on feeling my best, finding happiness in my life and not trying to escape from it.
‘It’s been 12 weeks and I’m enjoying sober life, not missing the ‘hanxiety’, feeling more energised, my skin is looking great and I’m sleeping much better.’
Attempting to connect with followers, the Made in Chelsea original cast member asked fans for advice on how they’ve navigated similar territory.
She typed: ‘Now, I’m not saying I’ll never drink alcohol again, I’m just saying that right now, I’m not and I want to keep going.
‘Has anyone else ditched the booze? How are you finding it? I would love to hear from more sober curious people.’
The personality shard she wouldn’t be off booze forever and asked followers for advice on how to strike a balance (Picture: Getty Images)
Met with an outpouring of support and love from famous friends and members of the public, alike, the star was congratulated on her decision and offered an update on her own personal journey.
She shared: ‘I’m still taking my SSRI medication but I recently reduced my dose, as I have been feeling a bit emotionally numb and disconnected which can apparently effect around 30% of people.
‘I am going to see how it goes over the next few weeks and possibly come off my meds by the end of the year, then either stay off them or try different ones.’
Millie carried on revealing her battle with the decision: ‘It is a tough decision because I am really benefitting and functioning well without constant anxiety and living in fear of panic attacks but I want to still feel all the good emotions too!’
Need support? Contact the Samaritans
For emotional support you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.
Need help?
The NHS recommends Drinkline, the national alcohol helpline. If you’re worried about your own or someone else’s drinking, there is a free helpline you can call in complete confidence. Call 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am to 8pm, weekends 11am to 4pm).
Or you can use Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), a free self-help group with a 12-step programme.
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