Alcohol was Clare's friend when she was isolated. Then she hit rock bottom and it was a long, hard climb back

Going into rehab made Clare face many of the issues she had struggled to acknowledge. (ABC, Illustrator Anna Levy)

It's hard to reflect on my years spent abusing alcohol. The memories feel pale, bleached, as if I've stripped away all their colour and horror in order to move forward.

I prefer telling the story of my recovery. I focus on lessons learned. Let's call it self-preservation.