Millie Mackintosh recalls 'wanting to drink to blackout' as she opens up on her 'addictive tendency' and the moment she decided to give up alcohol

Millie Mackintosh has recalled ‘wanting to drink to blackout’ as she opened up on her ‘addictive tendency’ and the moment she decided to give up alcohol. 

The former Made In Chelsea star, 36, quit booze in the summer of 2022 after recognising her very unhealthy urge to drink alcohol.

Speaking to Claire Sanderson and Gemma Atkinson for Women's Health UK, Millie insisted she had to 'completely abstrain' from booze because she couldn't handle having just one drink. 

Asked if she would describe herself as an alcoholic, she replied: 'I think it depends what your definition is.

'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.

'I recognise that urge is very unhealthy for me and it is better for me to completely abstain than to have the option of having one.' 

Millie admitted she has 'an alcohol use disorder' and discussed the grey areas of drinking, as not everyone would be classed as an alcoholic.  

She continued: 'I recognise I have that addictive tendancy. I would say I had an alcohol use disorder. 

'But there is a grey area of drinkers which don't fall into the catagory of an alcoholic but they regularly drink more than they want to.'

The TV personality went on to recall the moment she reliased she had to become sober and give up booze completely. 

She added: '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".

'And it's now been three and a half years.'

It comes after Millie revealed her therapist has told her she is 'addicted' to her anxiety as she discussed how she regulates her nervous system.

The reality star said she recently started seeing a new therapist whose theories 'really hit home' for her.

Millie has been trying different tricks to manage her anxiety and keep calm, including giving up her daily coffee.

She said: '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.

'One of things I've been having in the morning instead of coffee is a cup of bone broth.

'The other thing I've been adding into my routine is tapping. It's called EFT which is Emotional Freedom Technique. It helps to very quickly shift you out of that fight or flight response if you're feeling super triggered and anxious.

'You tap on these different points while saying statements. You tap different points on your face and go, even though this feeling is really uncomfortable, I still choose to love and accept myself.

'One of my favourite calming techniques is The Psychological Sigh. You breath in quickly through your nose twice,lift up your shoulders and then (takes a deep breath) it instantly does something to your brain.'

It comes after Millie revealed exactly what she eats in a day as she opened up about her diet which has 'helped with her ADHD'.

The influencer explained on Monday that she has 'cut out refined sugar' and focuses on consuming 'wholefoods'

Millie revealed she starts her day with 'bone broth' before protein filled meals while she approaches with an 80/20 mindset.

Sharing a series of Instagram photos, Millie wrote: 'What I eat in a day. I cut out refined sugar about a year ago, which I’ve spoken a little bit about before, but not in that much detail.

'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.

'I try not to be too rigid with it, it’s very much an 80/20 approach, but it’s honestly really helped with my ADHD and just feeling more balanced day to day.'

She continued: 'Eating this way has also really changed how I think about food. Focusing on whole foods means prioritising ingredients in their most natural form, foods that support blood sugar balance, reduce inflammation and provide the nutrients our brains and bodies actually need.

'It’s something @drmarkhyman talks about a lot: when you remove ultra-processed foods and excess sugar, you’re giving your body the chance to regulate energy, mood and focus more effectively.

'For me, it’s less about restriction and more about nourishment and thinking of food as medicine.'

Going through her day to day eating patterns, Millie said she enjoys a protein shake and soup for lunch before later tucking into curry or stew for dinner.

She explained: 'My mornings usually start with bone broth, hot water with lemon and electrolytes, which makes me feel so hydrated, nourished and full of energy.

'After the school run I’ll have a protein, almond butter and berry smoothie, which usually keeps me going until lunch, with a handful of nuts if I need something extra as a snack.

'In winter I often go for a veggie packed soup at lunchtime as I find it so warming, usually adding eggs, fish or chicken for a bit more protein.

'If I need a snack in the afternoon it might be a chia pudding, more nuts or a keto snack.

'Dinner is always centered around protein, and is often a curry, stew or something slow cooked with veggies on the side. Nothing extreme, just food that helps me feel good.

'We’re all different and I’m not an expert, but I wanted to share this with you as it’s a plan that really works for me'.