Cheryl Burke has spoken out about how her drinking problem was so serious that she could not function without it.
‘Dancing with the Stars’: Cheryl Burke Used To Drink 7 Days A Week-‘Nothing Got Me Drunk’
The Dancing with the Stars professional has managed to overcome her addiction by being sober for a prolonged period. And yet, unlike others who may choose to do so, Cheryl cannot drink moderately as she still views herself as an addict.
During an interview on the ‘Heart of the Matter’ podcast, Cheryl said: “I was a ballroom-by-day type girl and then party- or club-goer at night — for ten years in a row. I am definitely an alcoholic and addict, yes. One hundred per cent.”
The main reason why Cheryl developed an alcohol problem was because she used it as a coping mechanism to deal with the stress in her life. As a 21-year-old, she made the decision to move to Los Angeles by herself to further her career.
But with that, there was a lot of pressure that she struggled to deal with. That is when the alcohol came into play. She added: “Nothing got me drunk… I was a functioning drunk for sure.
“I was drinking because I was numbing — and we all know that that’s a scary place. It was survival mode constantly, seven days a week for me.”
Nevertheless, Cheryl knew that this was not the life she wanted for herself. And one of the reasons why she decided to give it up was seeing her father go through a similar thing.
Cheryl had the unfortunate circumstance of losing her father to a drinking problem, and he died with some whiskey in his hand on his bed. Knowing what he had seen, she decided to quit.
Cheryl continued: “Obviously subconsciously something … it was my body rejecting all this poison after drowning with it for so many years.”
Cheryl has come a long way since her drinking days, but it is still a daily struggle. The only thing that she can do is look at the positives in her life. And with her dancing career, she has plenty of opportunities to do just that.
If you liked reading this article, then check out our other features on the Daily Soap Dish. Please also visit The Go To Family for all of the latest exciting news on all of your favourite daytime television soaps.