Millie Mackintosh reveals she’s been 12 weeks sober after quitting alcohol to improve her anxiety

Millie Mackintosh has given up drinking alcohol to ease her anxiety, taking to Instagram on Sunday to share the update with fans.

Revealing she’s been 12 weeks sober now, the former Made In Chelsea star, 33, admitted drinking was a ‘huge trigger’ for her anxiety.

It comes after she started taking medication to improve her mental health in August, sharing that it was something she had struggled with since she was a teenager.

Posting a candid update to her 1.4 million followers, the beauty shared that the decision to cut out alcohol was the result of a “breakthrough therapy.”

Speaking about the decision to give up alcohol, she also noted the health benefits she’s felt since cutting it out.

“I had a breakthrough in therapy and decided to stop drinking alcohol, I didn’t want to admit it but it’s a huge trigger for my anxiety. It has an instant negative effect on my mental health and right now I am focused on feeling better, finding happiness in my life and not trying to escape it,’ she wrote.

Continuing: “It’s been 12 weeks and I’m enjoying life sober, I don’t miss the ‘anxiety’, I feel more energized, my skin looks great and I sleep much better.”

Millie went on to say she may start drinking again in the future, before asking if any of her followers have done the same.

‘Now I’m not saying I’ll never drink alcohol again, I’m just saying right now I’m not and I want to continue. Has anyone else given up alcohol? How do you find him ? I would like to hear from more sober and curious people.

And giving insight into her journey with the anxiety medication, Millie revealed that although it improved her mental health, she was reducing her dose as it also made her feel ’emotionally numb’.

Writing: “In general I’m much less anxious which is great, I’m still on my SSRI meds but recently reduced my dose as I felt a little emotionally numb and disconnected which apparently can affect around 30 % some people.

“I’ll see how it goes over the next few weeks and maybe stop my meds by the end of the year and then either don’t take them or try some others.

“It’s a tough decision because I’m really enjoying it and functioning well without constant anxiety and living in fear of panic attacks, but I also want to feel all the right emotions!” she concludes.

Millie accompanied the lengthy post with a bright selfie, in which she showed off her fresh complexion.

Speaking about her relationship with alcohol in 2016, the star told Stellar magazine that she was always trying to keep him healthy.

“If I’m drinking, I’ll have tequila and soda, or tequila on the rocks, both with fresh lime. It’s a pretty clean drink and relatively low in calories. Or I’ll order a glass of red; I’ll just have a drink and make it last,” she said.

Millie is married to former Made In Chelsea star Hugo Taylor, and the couple are parents to daughters Sienna, two, and Aurelia, 12 months.

And in August, she took to social media to explain that she had seen a therapist to deal with some “painful experiences” of her teenage years and had found the drug helpful.

While also noting that motherhood and the Covid-19 pandemic had a negative effect on her mental health.

Mille wrote at the time: “Since going into lockdown and becoming a mother, my anxiety (particularly social anxiety) has really started to take over, consuming my thoughts, making me feel trapped.”

Giving birth to eldest child Sienna during lockdown led to a spiral of postnatal depression for Millie.

Previously admitting the birth was “daunting”, Millie was also forced to give birth solo, without husband Hugo by her side – due to pandemic restrictions.

For help and support with anxiety, contact the Samaritans on 0808 164 0123 or visit a branch

For help call Pre and Postnatal Depression Advice and Support (PANDAS) on 0808 1961 776