Tanya Bardsley celebrates one year sober 'I'm thriving! I've lost weight and my confidence has soared'

ok.co.uk:

Just over a year ago, Tanya Bardsley hit rock bottom, finding herself on a “hamster wheel of death” as she grappled with symptoms of ADHD.

But – after checking herself into rehab – 12 months on, the Real Housewives Of Cheshire star is stepping into 2024 a new woman.

Her sobriety birthday – on 30 December – gave Tanya, 42, the opportunity to reflect on the past year and the ups and downs of a life free from drink. “It’s been life-changing,” she explains. “But also one of the most difficult, best years of my life.

Alcohol is escapism and I’ve had no escapism – I’ve had to sit with feelings.” The mum-of-four used booze as a crutch to deal with difficult situations, but feels she copes better with life’s challenges now she no longer drinks. “I’ve lost somebody while I’ve been sober – a close family friend – and I had to bear that grief,” she says. “But I think if I had still been drinking and still self-medicating, I would have been truly in a right mess now.