‘Looking back at this person, I see fear’: Michelle Heaton shares heartbreaking photos of bloated stomach and puffy face as she marks 14 months of sobriety
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Michelle Heaton shared a series of shocking photos taken during the height of her alcohol addiction as she marked 14 months of sobriety.
The former Liberty X singer, 42, has been candid about her battle with alcohol and has shared her sobriety journey with fans.
Taking to Instagram, the star shared a photo of herself with a red, puffy face and another with a bloated stomach as she reflected on how far she has come.
Heartbreaking: Michelle Heaton shared a series of shocking photos taken during the height of her alcohol addiction as she marked 14 months of sobriety
Sharing a heartfelt message of hope, Michelle said she was plagued with ‘fear’ and ‘sadness’ when she was drinking but now has ‘a desire to live’.
She wrote: ‘I continue to share my story because by sharing I might just help the still suffering addict!
‘I’m just over 14 months, looking back at this person, I see fear, sadness, confusion, pain, and as that month went on I see hope, light, fight, and a desire to live.
‘Wether you are the addict or a loved one of the addict, there is hope! If I can do it so can you!
Honest: The former Liberty X singer, 42, has been candid about her battle with alcohol and has shared her sobriety journey with fans
Emotional: Sharing a heartfelt message of hope, Michelle said she was plagued with ‘fear’ and ‘sadness’ when she was drinking but now has ‘a desire to live’
‘I follow a 12 step program, regularly attend my meetings and help others to achieve sobriety like I have.
‘I have a life now I could never have imagined, a life without fear!
‘Drop a message of your journey ! Let’s all help each other.’
Michelle also shared photos of herself alongside her husband Hugh Hanley and their children Faith, 10, and AJ, seven.
Candid: Taking to Instagram, the star shared a photo of herself with a red, puffy face and another with a bloated stomach as she reflected on how far she has come
Family: Michelle also shared photos of herself alongside her husband Hugh Hanley and their children Faith, 10, and AJ, seven
Michelle wrote: ‘Wether you are the addict or a loved one of the addict, there is hope! If I can do it so can you!’
Last month, Michelle broke down in tears during an appearance on Loose Women as she read out a letter her husband wrote to her while she was in rehab.
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Hugh’s emotional letter read: ‘Watching you spiral like this has been very hard to deal with. I couldn’t talk to my best friend. I have been left embarrassed by you, but that was never you.’
Hugh – who has been married to Michelle for 13 years – went on to detail how the singer’s actions were impacting their daughter Faith and son AJ, adding: ‘I have also tried to help the kids forget your behaviour. It has turned you into a liar…
‘Your addictive behaviour has hurt me a lot ‘Chelle, and you’ve become someone who’s very untrustworthy. Your behaviour has robbed me of my wife and the kids of their mummy.’
Looking back: Michelle also shared a photo of candles taken during her stay in The Priory
Sobbing as she reflected on her battle with drink and drugs, Michelle said: ‘I don’t recognise that person. I am a strong person. I can say no to things.’
She continued: ‘Drinking was so exhausting. It occupied every waking moment. I’ve got a really happy sense of being now – and I just didn’t.
‘I had no regards to what was happening to my family. It’s shameful to say that sometimes they were in my way.
‘When the kids really needed a cuddle, I just wasn’t there for them… It wasn’t until I got sober, clean, that I could recognise how I was behaving. Then the guilt comes in.’
Milestone: Michelle shared a tracker of her sobriety journey that showed she has been sober since April 28, 2021
She continued: ‘I wasn’t present for anybody – I wasn’t present for myself. I didn’t give them what they needed, which was nurturing… no nurturing at all.
‘When I came out and I started to navigate who I was again, so were the kids… They had to navigate who I was again.
‘Kids are very forgiving, they didn’t acknowledge how much I was in pain… however, they were navigating my reactions.’
Talking about happier times, she added: ‘If someone told me nine months ago that I would be feeling free, happy… It’s still one day at a time.
‘I am embarrassed by you’: Last month, Michelle broke down in tears during an appearance on Loose Women as she read out a letter her husband wrote to her while she was in rehab
‘I went into the Priory and I had the 28 day addiction program. I was a dry drunk for many months. I was acting out in many ways, irritable, snappy… I was manipulative.
‘Now I sponsor people. I have a sponsor. I work really hard at recovery.’
Michelle previously revealed she did not go for a day without alcohol for three years before she checked into rehab in April 2021.
She spent years binging on wine, vodka and brandy following her hysterectomy and mastectomy in 2014, due to her being a BRCA2 gene carrier meaning she would have a high risk of developing cancer.
For advice about drugs and alcohol visit www.talktofrank.com
Family: Michelle’s husband Hugh went on to detail how Michelle’s actions were impacting their children (pictured last month)
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