Laurie’s Story

From childhood, alcohol was part of Lauri Parker’s life – from her early teens in rural Scotland to her adult years as a mother living in Newcastle.  Now 39, Laurie lives by the River Tyne with her husband Mike and their kids.

Together, they share not only a home but also the experience of recovery and hope after addiction.

Laurie grew up around alcohol. She remembers being a 12-year-old at family gatherings, finishing other people’s drinks and thinking how amazing it made her feel. “It was like flicking a switch,” she says. “It made me feel less anxious, more confident, more alive. I didn’t know then that what felt like confidence was addiction taking hold.”

By 15, Laurie was drinking and using drugs with older friends but still excelling at school and university. She studied at Durham and described herself as “a high achiever who partied hard.” But it was behind the success, alcohol was already shaping her life.

When Laurie became a mum at 21, she stopped drinking completely during pregnancy and thought she had it under control. But just a couple of years later, like many people, she began to see drinking as a reward at the end of a stressful day. “I’d have half a bottle of wine when my daughter went to bed, telling myself I deserved it. Other mums said the same thing – ‘You’ve earned it.’ It seemed normal.” That one glass became 2, then 3.

For the next 13 years, alcohol became part of every day. By her final detox, she was drinking two or three bottles of wine a night, sometimes half a litre of vodka on top.

The turning point came in 2020. “I remember sitting in front of the mirror, putting on my makeup, opening a bottle from the cupboard and thinking, I’m broken. I won’t make 40 if I don’t stop.”

Leaving her first marriage gave her space to reflect, but also space to drink more. That’s when she met Mike – someone from her old village who was also in recovery. “It was meant to be. He understood everything because he’d lived it too.”

With Mike’s support, Laurie reached out for professional help. “It was during lockdown, and all the support was over the phone. I wasn’t ready to be honest then – I’d have a glass in my hand while pretending to do recovery calls. But eventually, I realised that honesty is what gets you through.””

At first, she found comfort in alcohol-free drinks. “I know there’s debate about them, but honestly, I don’t think I’d be here without them. I couldn’t go from a bottle of wine to a cup of tea – it was too big a jump. Alcohol-free options helped me keep a routine while I learned how to live sober.”

Recovery, Laurie says, isn’t one straight path. “I’ve used so many pathways to recovery I know that one size does not fit all. I’ve done the 12 steps, I’ve used community groups, I’ve found comfort in connection. You must find what works for you – but you can’t do it alone.”

Today, Laurie is proud of the life she has rebuilt. She talks openly about her experience because she wants others to understand that addiction isn’t a choice. “Nobody chooses to put alcohol before their kids or their career or their health.

Alcohol is sold to us as something glamorous, something that makes life better. For me, it took everything away. I remember feeling broken and knowing If things didn’t change there was no way I would reach 40.”

Now, she wants to change the conversation around alcohol and how deeply it’s embedded in society. “You can’t go to a garage, a gym, even a chemist without seeing alcohol. It’s everywhere.

My friends make their own birthday cards because they can’t find one that doesn’t say ‘Prosecco time’.  It’s become a joke – but it’s destroying lives. I even went into the Post Office, and they are selling alcohol.”

Laurie is also passionate about change. She believes alcohol should carry clearer health warnings.

“If a label said, ‘While you drink this, your liver stops performing over 50 other functions,’ people might stop and think.”

Recovery hasn’t been easy.

“That first year, I white-knuckled it. Every cell in my body was screaming to drink. I’d turn on Saturday Kitchen on BBC 1 on a Saturday morning and see chefs pairing wine with food and I’d think, how is this normal?”

But through all of it, she held on.

Today, Laurie helps others who are struggling, reminding them that it’s never too late to ask for help. “Even if you think you’re only having a glass or two, ask yourself why. To relax? To celebrate? To forget? If your drinking’s creeping up, talk to someone. You don’t have to lose everything to change everything.”

“I’m proud of my life now. I’m proud of recovery. It’s not glamorous, but it’s real. And if sharing my story helps one person reach out sooner, then it’s worth every word.”