Celebrity Apprentice Australia 2022‘s Jodi Gordon has shared emotional details about her struggles with alcohol addiction and subsequent 30 days in rehab.
In a new interview with Stellar magazine, the 37-year-old revealed she had been given a “second shot at life” after checking herself into a rehab centre.
The stress of filming Neighbours from 2016 to 2020 caused her long-term struggle with depression to “really sink in” and she turned to alcohol, which had been her “poison” for years.
Why Did Jodi Gordon Turn to Alcohol Use?
“My coping mechanism for that place was to throw a blanket over it, pretend it didn’t exist [with alcohol],” Jodi told the outlet.
“Alcohol is a depressant. So, when you try to treat depression with a depressant, it’s like adding fuel to the fire.”
In the past, the actress’ family had shared their concerns about her welfare, however, it felt like “white noise”. However, she finally accepted help, albeit “begrudgingly” and checked herself into a rehab facility.
Once she was there, she felt like it was where she belonged.
Even though the allegations of domestic violence with her former partner Sebastian Blackler were made public (against both parties), out of “respect and privacy for that relationship”, she would not comment, explaining that the matter would be dealt with in court.
Jodi Gordon Shared Rare Insight Into What Rehab Was Really like
Jodi said that the experience of going to rehab was the first time she was able to process the extensive “trauma and pain” she had experienced.
While she felt she hadn’t previously reached the “emotional depths” that she did in rehab, it wasn’t her first time seeking help.
In fact, Jodi first started going to therapy 15 years ago, after her late partner Christopher Burkhardt died of acute myeloid leukaemia.
The star then explained that rehab gave her different “tools” to help deal with her pain and provided her with coping mechanisms to implement into her daily life.
This has been especially wonderful for her eight-year-old daughter Aleeia (whom she shares with NRL legend Braith Anasta) who was “happy to see” her mum “present and happy and doing really well [sic]” after leaving rehab.
Jodi Gordon’s Reaction To Be Photographed by Paparazzi While In Rehab
Jodi recalled being “really upset” that paparazzi had jumped the fence of her rehab centre and taken photos of her.
Not only was her privacy taken away from her, but the subsequent negative public reaction was difficult to deal with.
“Fair enough,” she said of their opinion, before adding that she felt “shame and guilt” over her choices. However, she did feel it was unfair to “degrade” someone for “trying to be better and improve their life”.
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