I went to great lengths to hide it from everyone around me, including my husband. I had failed and I was so ashamed. I would walk to the supermarket, buy some vodka and drink it before I got home. Sometimes I would put it in a drinks bottle and pretend I was having water. I hid empty bottles all over the house.

Things came to a head after a boozy night out. I had put away two bottles of wine and a 70cl bottle of vodka before I’d even left home. Then I spent £65 at the bar, still wanting more after closing time. During my drinking frenzy, I had gone out with no tights, the wrong shoes and had forgotten to do my dress up at the back. Yet I thought I looked great as I danced the night away, two double rum and Cokes in hand.

I had also called and texted people while drunk, including work colleagues and my boss, and said some very inappropriate things. I’d also stolen four of the pub’s glasses. These things I didn’t realise until the next day. I woke up to pictures of me in my drunken state on Facebook. Not a good look.

“My capacity to drink frightened me so much – I knew I had to stop”