Lucy Hale talks about her sobriety journey. Image Source: Glamour UK
Lucy Hale talks about her sobriety journey.
On February 14th, 2023, actress Lucy Hale took to her social media account to reveal that she had recently celebrated her one-year of sobriety, which she described as "mostly private."
Now, during her conversation with Steven Bartlett on The Diary of a CEO podcast, Lucy Hale said that she has never spoken publicly about being sober, adding that she has a little over a year of sobriety and has been working on getting sober since she was 20; now she is 33, stating that it took some time and her patience with herself.
Lucy Hale mentioned that she felt her true self, described it as a self-destructive coping mechanism and said she just held on to that belief that the real Lucy came out when she was drinking and that it also quieted her mind. Lucy explained that her mind just doesn’t shut off and it’s exhausting, and she revealed that she was a textbook binge drinker; blackout wouldn’t remember what she did or what she said, which is scary.
The Pretty Little Liars actress stated that she has had a drinking problem since her first experience at the age of 14 and that she has never been a normal moderate drinker in her life. It was always "Let's go." Lucy said she was willing to go to this crazy, dark place every time. Of course, she tried to drink in moderation, knowing that having two would trigger her alcohol allergy. She noted that she cannot drink, and she views it as an allergy; her brain doesn’t work the same way as someone who can just have a glass of wine. It always wants more. It’s craving that feeling.
The actress stated that she had many experiences that she assumed would have made her stop drinking, but booze was her "solution." Even though one of her best pals died from alcoholism, she still didn't want to get sober. The issue isn't alcohol; it's this emotional state inside of her, and Lucy publicly acknowledged that she made efforts to alter for boyfriends, for her mother, for her career, and self indulgence, trying to claim that she would look younger and skinnier if she stopped drinking. "None of that s**t works," Lucy noted.
Lucy Hale has previously spoken out about her desire to give up drinking. Before the Pretty Little Liars series finale in 2017, the star spoke with online style publication Byrdie about how she designed to give up alcohol and get drunk after the show ended. Pretty Little Liar was a great chapter in her life, but beginning over is very exciting. Lucy did admit at the time that being on a popular television show... everybody just says yes to you, so you're able to get away with a lot, and then you make silly mistakes.
During her podcast interview, Lucy Hale discussed her experience with an eating problem since the age of 13, claiming that she ate so little it was shocking. All of it came back to the fact that she isn't beginning to feel enough. It progressively grew to the point where she could not enjoy life or engage in conversation. Lucy Hale mentioned that she was unable to stay focused on anything. It's a mystery she ever started working... because she was in a never-ending loop.
Lucy Hale admits that she is in a better place now, but she loves herself enough to nourish her body, and it's heartbreaking to think that she disliked herself so much that she really can not even provide basic needs like food to it. That is sad. Lucy claims she can now look back at photographs and think, "Oh, my God, she didn't notice reality."
Lucy pointed out that individuals immediately create a scary and dark narrative in their heads, and it had nothing to do with the way she looked in the end; it was about a great deal more, which was the fact that she felt no self-worth—incredibly low self-worth. The actress went on to say that she always did know it wasn't normal human behavior, that her hair shouldn't be falling out, and that she shouldn't be able to see every bone in her body, however, once one becomes hooked to the feeling of attempting to control their own body, it's difficult to kick the habit.
Lucy Hale told Steven Bartlett that a former Italian boyfriend "was fond of" food, which managed to help her have a positive connection with it, but her disorder "flamed up" after she went on to star in Pretty Little Liars. She said when she was finalized for the show titled Pretty Little Liars, she thought they must appear pretty, and they have to be little and added that she considered she had gotten over it, but then it had become out of control, and it had nothing to do with wanting to be pretty or small; it was about this is scary and her entire existence was altered in an instant.
The actress continued that her face was seen by millions of people as Instagram had only recently been introduced and her first post featured her from "Pretty Little Liars" season one. Lucy Hale explained that it was as if her life had already been magnified and she was starting to feel out of control. She concluded that she thought that she will have to control her appearance again, and then she will be enough, and individuals will like her but she didn't feel worthy of the things she used to have in her life.
Lucy Hale emotionally revealed that she needed to "want to get sober" for the decision to be permanent on January 2, 2022. She explained that she said to herself that she deserves more out of this life and she has to try it a different way recalling that her lowest point came after "dozens" of "emotional rock bottoms... at the depths of hell." The actress credited herself with "always pulling" herself out of difficult situations and "sling-shotting" herself out of them.
