Patricia Heaton celebrates three years sober
Patricia Heaton has celebrated three years of "freedom from alcohol".
The 'Everybody Loves Raymond' actress offered her help and support to anyone else who is thinking of quitting booze or is in the process of doing so and asked them to just contact her with a message on Twitter.
Heading out on a hike in a video she posted on the platform on Saturday (10.07.21), she said: "It’s July when we celebrate our nation’s freedom. Also celebrating three years of freedom from alcohol for me.
“So, just wanted to share that with you. And message me if any of you are thinking about doing that, any of you are doing that now and need some encouragement or anything at all. Have a great day.”
The 63-year-old actress explained last year she gave up alcohol in 2018 because she found she was enjoying it too much and although she still misses drinking, she's confident she made the right choice.
She said: “I miss it terribly, but at the end of the day, I feel better.
“I noticed that I was looking forward every night to cocktails. And if I happened to go to lunch, I might have a glass of wine or Prosecco.”
And after looking at statistics showing women who drink moderately in their 30s and 40s can sometimes slip into alcoholism as they get older, Patricia - who is married to David Hunt - feared going down the same path.
She said: “I think it’s something about your children leaving the house and the things that used to anchor you are no longer there.
“You’re a little bit at sea, and so you reach for the bottle to dull the uncertainty. I sensed that a bit with myself. … I’ve stopped [drinking], and my life has improved significantly. My kids are in their mid-20s and I’ll probably be in my 70s by the time I have grandchildren. I want to be healthy for them.”
