It’s been a tough few months for Sarah Harding. The Girls Aloud star spent the end of last year in rehab, and began this year with a physical altercation with her now ex-boyfriend Theo De Vries.
For the first time the 30-year-old singer has revealed the extent of her battle with addiction. We already knew that Sarah sought treatment for alcohol and depression, but now she has admitted she needed help with an addiction to the sleeping pill Zopiclone too,
"I've been to hell and back. I'm just glad I survived. My drinking was out of control and I was addicted to sleeping pills. It was an awful combination.” Sarah has confessed in The Sun.
Sleeping normally
Sarah has also openly discussed her experience in rehab, and admits that she was warned about starting a relationship with Theo who she met while they were both in treatment
"Rehab was a depressing place to be with a lot of troubled people. I came off Zopiclone. I started taking them four years ago and coming off them was horrible. It took three weeks in rehab to start sleeping normally again.
"They warn you not to fall in love at rehab. But I'm the sort of person that if someone tells you not to do something, I have to do it to find out for myself. I'm a stubborn little b******. I thought we would be able to keep each other sober.
"But sure enough, everything they predicted came true. I have learned a lesson, big time."
Staying sober
Looking to the future, Sarah has is now being positive – she’s vowed to stay single and focus on her career and staying sober,
“I have so much to live for. I have my family and friends, my dogs, a film coming out. I still want to do music and do something solo. Now I think it's about being single and concentrating on myself and my career and who knows what the future holds.
"I feel like I don't want to be stuck with that drunken image. I go to after-care for the extension to my rehab to keep me going. I am trying so hard. I just want to be taken seriously.
Girls Aloud
As for Sarah’s Girls Aloud bandmates, they have all been in touch with Sarah and offered their love and support,
“The girls have been lovely, they have all texted me. Nicola wanted to come over yesterday but since I've got back all I have wanted to do is hide, stay at home and cook. I know it sounds stupid but I find it therapeutic.”
We sincerely hope that Sarah is getting all the help and support she needs at this very difficult time