It was on Mother's Day last year that Julie Angel Guest had her last drink of alcohol.

The date was particularly significant as it not only marked the end of an almost decade-long battle with alcohol misuse but the mother-of-two was coming to the end of a tough custody battle.

At the height of her addiction, the 44-year-old was drinking about 35 units daily and would down a bottle and a half of vodka before moving onto super strength ciders.

"I would wake up in the morning, lie in bed and reach underneath trying to find out if I had any leftover drink from the day before."

She was also taking 24 tablets prescribed by doctors to help with the side effects of her drinking and had yellow eyes, eczema, profuse sweating and a resting heart rate of 140 beats per minute.

Everyone thought the drink would kill her - and it very nearly did.

Over a year later she is completely sober, has shared residence of her boys and credits UK Smart Recovery with "saving her life".

The weekly support sessions along with Asha Women's Centre's Freedom Programme, Swanswell and Reunite International Child Abduction Centre helped her get back on her feet again.

And now she is bravely sharing her story to encourage other people battling with alcohol issues to get the help that is out there.

"You would think that giving up alcohol would be as simple as "doing it for your children" but it is not that easy.

"I tried to shelter them from it.

"You honestly believe you have it under control but you don't realise the effect it has on your mind and body.

"No amount of promises or guilt trips will make you react to the situation.

"You can try to do it for other people but, it is like losing weight or stopping smoking, unless you do it for yourself you're not going to be able to do it.

"You have to find the little light inside of you. A lot of people like me feel just want some hope to get out of their desperate situations.

"I just feel like a miracle, my mum calls me a walking miracle because I'm alive and healthy."

She credits her substance misuse worker Jozef Grabowski with giving her the emotional tools needed to stop drinking and deal with emotions she had previously suppressed with drink.

Her story has proved so inspiring that her letter was read out at the UK Smart Recovery annual conference.

She wrote: "I did not get well when life was sweet.

"Swanswell and the Smart recovery programme got me well while I was going through child abduction proceedings, a divorce, financial hardship, uncertainty about my home and business and self-esteem issues.

"That is nothing short of a miracle."

Ms Angel Guest, from Old Wyche Road, Malvern, is now re-establishing herself as a psychic medium, and completely avoids alcohol including medication which contains alcohol.

"Every single day I wake up now and I'm grateful I've got my own house, my own money, I have my health and I have my children.

"I have so much to look forward to with them now.

"My message is, if I can do it, anyone can.

"It is difficult when you're in it but I am proof that it can be a happy ever after."

Addiction has been an issue throughout Ms Angel Guest's life. She has suffered an eating disorder, fitness addiction and self harming having gone through several extremely traumatic experiences.

Swanswell also signposted rewind therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder which got to the root of some of her problems.

They work well with Asha Women’s Centre too who help women identify destructive relationships, how to break free from them and go on to lead and happy fulfilling life.

However, she believes it is easy for anyone to slip into alcohol misuse after her problem started with drinks with colleagues after work.

"I don't mind talking about it because I think there is a lot of people out there suffering with this condition.

"People think they gain more confidence from drinking or can't go to a party without having a drink or need alcohol to help them relax - it's easy to slip into the habit.

"A lot of people think they don't have an alcohol problem because they don't drink first thing in the morning or only at weekends.

"But if you open a bottle of wine, can you put the cork back in it after a glass? Some people can't just stop at one."

Drinking became a problem at 32, but Ms Angel Guest said she would go through bouts where she would not drink at all.

However, It is not as easy as just putting down the can or bottle however and anyone considering giving up alcohol should see their GP to be referred to a detox programme.

Having got her own life back on track, she is now encouraging others to step forward and ask for the same help.

"As a psychic, I am a public figure, therefore my drunkenness, mental health problems and everything that went with it have been very public and damaging - least of all to my children and reputation.

"I have made my recovery very public too yet it is astonishing how many people still don’t realise the level of help out there for people to turn their lives around.

"I would never go back. I love being sober and I don't miss drinking. I've finally got peace of mind.

"I was constantly told I was a poor excuse of a human being and a menace to society.

"Now I am a peer mentor for Swanswell, a Meeting Facilitator with SMART UK and I refer a lot of women I meet through my work to these two organisations and to Women’s Aid or Asha."

Where to find help

  • UK Smart Recovery

Web: smartrecovery.org.uk

  • Swanswell

Tel: 0300 303 8200

Email: worcsadmin@swanswell.org

Web: swanswell.org

  • Reunite International

Tel: 01162 556 234

Email: reunite@dircon.co.uk.

Web: reunite.org

  • Asha Women's Centre

Tel: 01905 767552

Email: info@ashawomen.org.uk

Web: http://ashawomen.org.uk/