A former alcoholic shares the key realization that led her to recognize her drinking problem.
Avery Schlereth, known for her appearance on the Travis Kelce dating show, Catching Kelce, discussed her journey with alcohol on the Rise Above with Kevin Lanning podcast, marking two years of sobriety.
She admitted that at the height of her addiction, she consumed two bottles of wine nightly. Avery also reflected on her mental health struggles, noting that such issues weren’t often discussed during her childhood.
She shared that she feared for the safety of loved ones when they were out of sight, but found significant support from a childhood therapist, which she credits as being very beneficial.
“But then as I got older, you know, we’d like go out, and we drink, and the drinking didn’t get really bad until probably Covid,” she explained.
After quitting alcohol, Avery realized she was eagerly anticipating her next opportunity to drink.
“I couldn’t stop drinking once I started”, she confessed. “And I was like, okay, maybe let’s take a few days off.
“Then I started to notice that I was looking forward to it so much. Like any type of work event or scheduling a lunch with a friend, I was always trying to have a drink somewhere. But then it just turned into me getting obliterated at night.”
Currently a weight loss coach, Avery also recounted a past relationship where her partner expressed concerns about her drinking habits.
“He would get frustrated with me because he’s trying to work a job and I’m wanting to get wasted every night,” she said. “He was like you drink a lot, maybe we should take a break and I worry about you. I’m like ‘what are you worried about it’s fine, we’re just having fun nobody cares’.”
Avery recognized warning signs earlier on, but recalled a particularly concerning year when her drinking intensified.
“The last year of my drinking I started to notice that I couldn’t stop once I started but then if I had nothing to do that day and I had wine left over, I would just drink it when I woke up,” she said.
“I was always waking up drunk because of how much I was drinking the night before.”
She reflected that during her initial year of sobriety, she identified as a ‘fearful person’, which may have fueled her drinking, adding: “I wasn’t afraid when I was drinking. I was having the time of my life.”
Now celebrating two years of sobriety, Avery is dedicated to a healthy lifestyle, stating, “I’m so committed to working out, eating healthy, and my program that I don’t want to drink.” She now feels secure being around alcohol because of her strong foundation.
If you’ve been affected by addiction and want to speak to someone in confidence, you can call American Addiction Centers on (888) 324-0595, available 24/7, or contact them through their website.