Braunwyn Windham-Burke admitted she almost relapsed after three years of sobriety.
The “Real Housewives of Orange County” alum got candid about the challenges of her alcohol-free journey while sharing an emotional text conversation with a friend on Instagram this week.
In the message thread, the former Bravolebrity wrote that she was “really sad” and wished she “could drink.”
“Sobriety isn’t always easy. The moment I decided to share this journey publicly I promised to myself and all y’all that I’d be as honest as I could,” Windham-Burke, 45, further elaborated in her caption.
“This was last night, this is sobriety, this is connecting with people on a real level so we can get through the tough days.”
She then thanked her unidentified confidant for “being there” when she needed support.
Braunwyn Windham-Burke’s vulnerable confession came shortly after she reacted to former co-star Shannon Beador’s recent headline-making arrest for DUI and hit-and-run.
“I know Shannon has a big heart and hope this can become her story where this is a moment when everything changed for the better,” she told Us Weekly last month.
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The reality TV alum also acknowledged that Beador, 59, has had a “very hard year” following her breakup from longtime boyfriend John Janssen.
“Obviously, what happened is not OK. You should never drink and drive,” Windham-Burke continued. “It was a very unfortunate night for her, but fortunately no one was hurt.”
The mother of seven has been outspoken over the years about her own struggle with alcohol addiction.
Back in October 2022, Windham-Burke marked a major milestone by celebrating 1,000 days of sobriety.
“There’s been some really hard days,” she exclusively told Pvnew at the time. “I have had days where I wanted to drink. I’m not going to sugarcoat it. Ninety percent of the time, it’s relatively easy for me not to pick up a drink. Eight percent of the time, it’s hard.”
As for that other two percent, the reality TV alum explained that she overcomes moments of weakness by telling herself she “will die” if she has even one sip of alcohol.
“Like, that’s how low I have gotten [at] a few points in my sobriety,” she said.
Meanwhile, Windham-Burke credited her close friends for keeping her on track and always being a phone call away.
“I think the most important part for sobriety for me has been those phone calls. Those people will pick up no matter where I am or how bad I’m doing … and they talk me through it,” she added
