Lucy Hale Opens up About Sobriety Journey, Recalls ‘Hitting Rock Bottom’ at 32

Lucy Hale is looking back on her sobriety journey after hitting “rock bottom” at age 32. The 35-year-old Pretty Little Liars actress, 35, is speaking out about her path to two-and-a-half years of sobriety in a new interview with PEOPLE as she accepts the 2024 Humanitarian Award from Friendly House, a women’s addiction recovery center.

“I can’t believe I’m at a place in my life where I can talk about the things that used to bring me so much shame,” she told the outlet. “Hitting rock bottom” at age 32 was what it took for Hale to completely change her life. “I made the choice on the morning of January 2, 2022, that I was going to do everything I could to get sober,” she recalled. “I knew if I continued on that path, I would’ve lost everything I cared about. It was the scariest choice in my life, but also it’s been the best gift. When I made that change, everything else changed. My whole life has changed.”

From a young age, the Katy Keene star felt “alone and misunderstood,” which led to her finding alcohol as a teenager to “shut [her] brain off.” That worked for Hale “for a while, until it turned really dark.” Much of the actress’ 20s were spent battling her addiction.

“I always had a desire to change, but with any form of addiction, you become powerless to this obsession,” the Truth or Dare actress continued. “I definitely had to go through my own process of getting sober. It took many, many, many years, many relapses, many dark moments, many falling on my face quite literally, but figuratively as well to figure out what was working in my life, finding out why I was drinking, because removing alcohol is just one part of it.”

Pretty Little Liars ended up being Hale’s saving grace. “If I’m perfectly honest, without my career and without that creative outlet, I don’t know if I would’ve made it,” she confessed “I think that show and my love of what I do was my North Star truly, it really gave me purpose, and still gives me purpose. But I was constantly in this cycle of extreme depression and anxiety while having to show up to work and be on. And that ‘being on’ fueled even more drinking… I was caught in this cycle that I couldn’t get out of.” 

Today, more than two years into her sobriety journey, Hale said she still makes a choice every day to put herself first, “but that goes deeper than just not drinking. My life feels so good now that I wouldn’t give that up for anything,” she said.