Former Made In Chelsea star Millie Mackintosh has candidly discussed her struggles with alcohol and the pivotal moment that led her to embrace sobriety. The 36-year-old television personality revealed she recognised an unhealthy pattern in her drinking behaviour, which ultimately prompted her to give up alcohol entirely in the summer of 2022.
Confronting an Addictive Tendency
In a revealing interview with Claire Sanderson and Gemma Atkinson for Women's Health UK, Mackintosh explained that she needed to completely abstain from alcohol because she couldn't manage moderate drinking. "I had to completely abstain from booze because I couldn't handle having just one drink," she insisted.
When questioned about whether she would describe herself as an alcoholic, Mackintosh provided a nuanced response. "I think it depends what your definition is," she said. "I wasn't a drinker who depended on drinking alcohol everyday of the week but whenever I drank I wanted to drink to black out and drink, and drink, and drink."
Recognising the Problem
The reality star acknowledged she has "an alcohol use disorder" and discussed the grey areas surrounding drinking behaviours. "I recognise I have that addictive tendency," she admitted. "But there is a grey area of drinkers which don't fall into the category of an alcoholic but they regularly drink more than they want to."
The Turning Point Towards Sobriety
Mackintosh recalled the specific moment that convinced her to become sober. "I had a particularly bad panic attack when I was hungover and that was the final moment when I said, 'Ok I'm never drinking again'," she revealed. "And it's now been three and a half years."
Managing Anxiety and Mental Health
The conversation extended beyond alcohol to Mackintosh's broader mental health journey. She disclosed that her therapist has suggested she might be "addicted to my anxiety." This revelation came as she explored different techniques to regulate her nervous system.
To manage her anxiety, Mackintosh has implemented several lifestyle changes:
- Giving up daily coffee and caffeine
- Replacing morning coffee with bone broth
- Practising Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) tapping
- Using the Psychological Sigh breathing technique
"One of the things she said that really hit home was that she thinks I'm addicted to my anxiety and by having that coffee and caffeine everyday, it was keeping my nervous system in a more stressed out state," Mackintosh explained about her therapist's observations.
Dietary Changes and ADHD Management
Mackintosh also opened up about significant dietary adjustments that have positively impacted her life. She revealed she has cut out refined sugar and adopted a wholefoods-focused approach to eating.
"I felt so good after doing a 10 day sugar detox that I've followed it fairly closely ever since, focusing on a more wholefood way of eating," she shared. "It's honestly really helped with my ADHD and just feeling more balanced day to day."
A Typical Day of Eating
Mackintosh described her daily nutritional routine:
- Morning: Bone broth, hot water with lemon and electrolytes
- After school run: Protein, almond butter and berry smoothie
- Lunch: Vegetable-packed soup with added protein
- Dinner: Protein-centred meals like curry or stew with vegetables
"Eating this way has also really changed how I think about food," she reflected. "For me, it's less about restriction and more about nourishment and thinking of food as medicine."
Mackintosh's journey represents a comprehensive approach to wellbeing, addressing alcohol use, mental health management, and nutritional balance as interconnected elements of her overall health strategy.
