What happens when you’re raised in chaos, start drinking heavily at 13 whilst navigating autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADD & PTSD, plus wanting to get sober before you’re legally allowed to drink then stopping at 18?!

I sit down with actress, dancer and reiki healer Scarlett Alice, who opens up about growing up with two parents addicted to alcohol and drugs, the trauma that shaped her and the moment she chose sobriety at just 18. Then comes the flip - her parents enter recovery and give her the inspiration to join them on the path to joy and serenity! 12 years later she's still sober and strong. Her story is brave, emotional, and proof that it’s possible to rewrite the script — no matter how it starts.

Scarlett shares what it felt like growing up in a household that looked perfect on the outside but was riddled with dysfunction behind closed doors. We talk about being a kid who could sense addiction before she even understood it, and how that shaped her early need for escape and intensity. She shares her earliest drinking memories — from getting drunk on trampolines at 13 to blacking out in nightclubs by 17 — and what finally pushed her to make a decision most people wouldn’t at any age - let alone as a teenager. Scarlett doesn’t glorify addiction — she talks about the coldness, the shame, the emptiness, and why it’s never just about the substance. It’s about the feeling underneath that needs soothing and how hard it is to let go of something that once made you feel safe — even when it’s killing you.

We get into how getting sober isn’t the end of fun — it’s actually the beginning. Scarlett shares how she handles awkward questions at parties, how she deals with FOMO and what sober dating really looks like when everyone else is still romanticising chaos. She gives practical advice on coping without numbing, how to spot when a ‘treat’ is actually a trap and why not all recovery paths look the same. Whether it’s the sober-curious movement, microdosing mushrooms or complete abstinence, Scarlett believes recovery should be flexible, honest and rooted in self-awareness. Her advice for young people is honest, unpatronising and grounded in lived experience. Scarlett is warm, funny, unapologetically honest and says the quiet parts out loud. I'm so grateful she made the trip from Brighton to share her story with us!

Thank you to Gavin Sisters for sponsoring this episode! Visit -

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and use promo code SCHOOLOFROCKBOTTOM for 10% off!

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Topics -

0:00 Intro

2:40 Scarlett's rock bottom

4:10 When did drinking start?

10:00 Excuses & last straw moment

11:40 Why did you stop drinking at 18

13445 How my parents helped me get sober

17:30 Peer pressure at 18 from friends?

20:25 Sober? The fun has just begun!

21:55 Dealing with awkward questions at a party

24:10 Did you feel like you were missing out?

25:10 What do you make of being sober curious?

27:30 Unhealthy coping mechanisms

28:45 Microdosing mushrooms?

31:05 Sponsor

32:05 Navigating sober dating

35:00 There are many routes to recovery!

37:30 Navigating neurodiversity, PTSD and addiction

44:40 Advice for young people struggling with addiction

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