Cara Delevigne has described her 'wake up call' moment after paparazzi snatched shots of her disheveled appearance just after her 30th birthday.
The model, who rose to fame as the 18-year-old school girl and face of Burbury in 2001, was 'unravelling' in a highly public spotlight and admits she was 'not okay'.
But as media commentators drew comparisons with her socialite mother she pulled back from her ''embarrassment' over the LA airport pictures which she used as a turning point to address her alcoholism.
Proving critics wrong she took to the runway to pay tribute to her late friend Karl Laggerfeld at Paris Fashion week.
Opening up in a Vogue interview she admits:“It’s heartbreaking because I thought I was having fun, but at some point it was like, Okay, I don’t look well.
"You know, sometimes you need a reality check, so in a way those pictures were something to be grateful for.”
And Delevigne, who has also successfully proved herself in the acting world starring in films like Paper Towns (2015) and Suicide Squad (2016), recalls her alcohol issues started at a young age.
Recalling 'nailing glasses of Champagne' at a family wedding aged seven before being medicated at 10 and later self-harm and depression to cope with her 'deep isolation'.
She attributes anti depressants for 'saving her life' during a breakdown aged 15 and blames her dyspraxia and subsequent labelling of her mental health problems 'damaging'.
But she feels her problems were simply made worse upon finding fame, adding: If you have problems going into this industry, they will only get magnified and exacerbated.
“There is nothing about it that makes it better.”
Admitting at the time of the Vogue interview she had been four months sober, she acknowledges her journey and is on a 'naturalist' pathway to medications.
Delevingne has found support in her dark times and, since going public with her sexuality, is currently happy with girlfriend, Leah Mason.
Since halting work and focusing on herself starting with rehab, then the 12-steps she has given herself time to 'dig deeper' and isn't looking for a 'quick fix' which she blames partly on her generation's exceptions of things happening quickly.
Looking to her future she can see children in her vision but for now she is finding happiness in short term 'not eratic' road trip in a RV with Leah.
She added: “Work is extremely important, but work is secondary because my self-work is the most important thing."
The full interview is available in April issue of Vogue.
