Lucy Hale Talks About Her Alcohol Addiction: 'My Drinking Was Never Normal'

Lucy Hale opens up about her challenges with alcohol and addiction!

In a recent appearance on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast, the 34-year-old actress candidly discussed her earliest memories of drinking and the subsequent challenges it brought into her life, marking the first time she has publicly opened up about these experiences.

"The first time I ever had alcohol... I was probably 12 or 13? I was in Florida, on vacation... and we drank Green Apple Pucker," recalled Hale. "I remember my very first experience with alcohol was the same as when it ended. I blacked out -- at 12 years old. I don't remember what happened, I threw up, I got very sick, and I remember being so distraught when I realized what had happened."

Hale expressed, "I was like, 'Oh my god, my mom is going to be so disappointed in me.'"

The Pretty Little Liars star went on to share that although she continued to drink intermittently from the ages of 12 to 18, it was during this period that her drinking escalated, consistently leading her down a challenging and dark path.

"I remember shame after every experience drinking because my drinking was never normal," Hale revealed. "Literally every time I drank... it was very clear I was drinking to escape something, even at a young age."

Hale detailed, "It wasn't until my early 20s that I recognized I had a problem."

It was during this period that she became aware of the frequency with which she thought about drinking and the discomfort she felt when socializing without alcohol. This realization prompted her to take the step of seeking help.

"I went to rehab when I was 23," Hale shared. "I don't think anyone on the show [Pretty Little Liars] knew. And it was my choice, too."

"That was a pivotal moment in my life," she emphasized. "[However], I wasn't prepared to let go of drinking, which is why I didn't achieve sobriety until I was 32."

Before achieving sobriety, Hale mentioned that she explored various forms of treatment, but initially, none of them proved to be successful for her.

"I had tried so many different things: rehab, out-patient, in-patient, trauma center, therapy, medication, you name it," the "Truth or Dare" actress shared. "And there was also a very strong desire to want to stop."

As a celebrity in the public eye during her 20s, Hale found it challenging to put a halt to her drinking, especially when she had surrounded herself with friends facing similar issues. Eventually, her drinking became a gateway to drugs and more detrimental decisions. Throughout this period, she kept her internal struggle tightly concealed.

"There was no way in hell I was going to openly talk about this [back then]," Hale said. "I was so deeply ashamed of myself and my choices and the person who I was when I drank."

Hale emphasizes that her two-year journey of sobriety holds a significant connection to her battle with COVID-19 during the pandemic. The forced isolation, quiet lifestyle, and avoidance of social scenarios served as a transformative period, enabling her to break free from the patterns of heavy drinking and make positive strides in her recovery.

"Without having COVID, I might not have gotten sober -- or committed to it," Hale noted.