Lucy Hale is celebrating two years since she has been alcohol free.
The Sweet little liars The alum, 34, revealed in an Instagram post on Tuesday that she’s been sober for two years, which also equates to 24 months, 731 days and 17,523 hours.
She also included a clip of a quote from F. Scott Fitzgerald about it’s never too late to “be whoever you want to be”, and went on to share a picture of herself walking outside next to a picturesque sea view.
“This is still the greatest gift I have given myself. I’m still so grateful for another year of growth, growing pains, lessons, joy and self-discovery,” Hale wrote in her Instagram caption.
The actress added: “To be able to show up as me and be greeted with such warmth and acceptance is something I don’t take for granted ♥️.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
‘It was a lot of pain’: 23 stars on their experiences with addiction
“Interactions, conversations, and moments of vulnerability from people I know, people I knew, people I hurt, people who hurt me, strangers, and even people on the Internet, gave my life so much color and meaning,” the actress continued.
She added that these experiences “were my favorite takeaway from this past year.”
Hale then thanked each person she connected with before leaving a word of encouragement for anyone struggling.
“Please know that you are not alone and you do not have to walk this path alone,” she said. “There is no right or wrong way to heal and it is deeply personal and unique to each of us.”
Hale added that her “only advice is to stay open-minded, curious, and find people who see you and support you. It gets better,” concluding, “Take it one moment at a time ✨Lucy.”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2)/lucy-hale-010324-3-88902efd1bbf4e5a8e2e376548eacdac.jpg)
Lucy Hale.
Lucy Hale on Instagram
Lucy Hale celebrates 1st year of sobriety: ‘You’re not alone and you’re loved’
In February 2023, Hale opened up about her struggle with alcohol over the years in an episode Director’s diary podcast, revealing that she’s “worked on getting sober since she was 20.”
“I just held on to this belief that the real Lucy came out when she was drinking,” she continued. “It also quieted my mind…my brain just doesn’t shut off and it’s exhausting. I was a textbook drunk, passed out, not remembering what I did or what I said, which is terrifying.”
The Katy Keene the actress said she has had a drinking problem since her first drinking experience at the age of 14, admitting that there was never a period in her life where she was a “normal moderate drinker”.
“Every time I was ready to go to this crazy dark place,” Hale explained. “Of course I’ve tried to drink in moderation, just two. I’m allergic to alcohol. I can’t drink. I look at it as an allergy; my brain doesn’t work the same way as someone who can just drink a glass of wine. He always wants more. He craves it I feel.”
Hale said that it was up to her to actually want to get sober. She said she finally made the commitment on January 2, 2022, because she realized she “deserved more than this life.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the SAMHSA Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education