 'My life before sobriety was absolute chaos,' says Sarah Catchpole, 29. 'I convinced myself that I didn't have a drinking problem because I didn't drink every day or at home by myself. But when I did have alcohol, I'd often end up blacking-out or doing something reckless.' Sarah was just 14-years-old when she developed a binge drinking habit that would spiral into her adult life, beyond marriage and motherhood. But after a particularly bad bender at the age of 28, she finally decided to quit the booze for good. Now, almost a year into her sobriety, the married mum-of-one from Colchester has transformed her life and her relationships. 'Now, I'm getting to know and love my authentic self,' she says. Sarah had her first taste of booze at just seven years old when her mum, who was a single parent, let her have the occasional sip of her Bacardi Breezers. The first time Sarah had her first proper drink was when she was 12, whilst on a camping trip with her friend and her parents. Sarah says, 'My friend and I were allowed one alco-pop each. We felt so grown up, but the booze just made me feel fuzzy-headed and sleepy. I couldn't understand why adults liked it.' But by the age of 14, Sarah realised that alcohol helped mask her insecurities and escape from an unhappy home-life. She explains, 'I was quite an anxious person, but alcohol made me feel confident and bolshy. Sarah had her first taste of alcohol aged 7 (Picture: Supplied) 'Every weekend became a mission between my friends who could get alcohol. I started drinking vodka, but after it made me sick one night, I switched to cider. It became a warped badge of honour that I could drink as much as the boys, but by the end of the night, I was always the one worst off – either puking up or passing out. 'Sometimes my mum would have to come and get me. I never really got into trouble for it though.' Despite drinking from a young age, Sarah did well in her GSCEs and){kind=link}
NEWS… BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
‘My life before sobriety was absolute chaos,’ says Sarah Catchpole, 29.
‘I convinced myself that I didn’t have a drinking problem because I didn’t drink every day or at home by myself. But when I did have alcohol, I’d often end up blacking-out or doing something reckless.’
Sarah was just 14-years-old when she developed a binge drinking habit that would spiral into her adult life, beyond marriage and motherhood. But after a particularly bad bender at the age of 28, she finally decided to quit the booze for good. Now, almost a year into her sobriety, the married mum-of-one from Colchester has transformed her life and her relationships.
‘Now, I’m getting to know and love my authentic self,’ she says. Sarah had her first taste of booze at just seven years old when her mum, who was a single parent, let her have the occasional sip of her Bacardi Breezers. The first time Sarah had her first proper drink was when she was 12, whilst on a camping trip with her friend and her parents.