12 April 2023 , 18:38
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Married At First Sight UK's Gemma Rose Barnes bravely opened up about how her alcohol addiction has 'taken over her life'.
The reality star appeared on last year's matchmaking show and was paired up with Matt Murray.
Gemma took to her Instagram to share 'something incredibly important' with her followers and said it has been 'affecting her for a really long time'.
She said the coronavirus pandemic was the trigger and said: "This has been the hardest few years."
"I definitely felt like Covid was the biggest catalyst of all my problems."
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She admitted she has been "very, very poorly" but is getting the help she needs.
"Addiction is an illness," she explained. "It's a disease and there's so much help available."
Gemma opened up about her addiction (Instagram/reallifeofgemrose)
The star has been following a 12-step recovery programme (Instagram/reallifeofgemrose)She said that, due to the addiction, she pushed away her loved ones and she ended up isolating herself.
"It's left me in a really dark place and I promised I'd always be open and honest no matter how hard it is and this is hard," she said.
"Admitting you have a problem is the first step and for me, it's admitting that 'I give up' to the addiction. I can't live my life with this illness any more. My life has become unmanageable."
Gemma once tried to recover on her own and managed to stop drinking for a few months.
However, she kept thinking to herself that she could just have 'one more'.
"My problem was thinking I could have just one more," she said. "I'm allergic to that lifestyle. It's made me very poorly. I've come to the stage where I didn't want to be part of my addiction."
She said it has been the hardest few years (reallifeofgemrose/Instagram)
The MAFS star said the 12-step programme has already 'changed her life'Gemma now has the help of the 12-step recovery programme and even has a sponsor, revealing it has 'changed her life already'.
"In this period I've reached out and asked for help from people who understand because they've been through it," she continued.
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Gemma continues to fear that alcohol addiction could become more common.
"We're listening to songs glamorising drug culture and alcohol, which is the biggest drug. I can't ever drink again. I know that," she said.
Her friends and followers threw their support behind the reality star, with one user writing: "Well done.. I work in addiction and it’s great to hear people like you speak open and honest and hopefully will encourage others to come forward."
"One day at a time - just for today. You are never alone in recovery - I have been in since 2013. well done," another said.