An 8 Simple Rules alum is opening up about how a candid talk with her dad led her down a path to going alcohol-free.
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Amy Davidson, who played Kerry Hennessy in 8 Simple Rules, admitted she often tried to justify her drinking. She decided to cut back to wine only, strictly outside her home. She went on to eventually scramble for excuses to have a glass or two, frequently suggesting dinners out with friends and family.
However, a sit-down with her dad during Christmas 2024 flipped a switch.
"He goes, 'So you're going to be waiting for Friday... or you're going to find reasons to drink," Davidson recently recalled to PEOPLE. "I was always making excuses."
Her dad's observation made Davidson question herself aloud.
"Why can't I just be like everyone else and have a glass of wine randomly now and then?"
"'Cause you're wired differently," the 8 Simple Rules star's dad shot back.
Amy Davidson on Her Drinking Quietly Getting Out of Control: "Waking up Hungover Was Normal"
Davidson went on to explain that she lived life as something of a functional alcoholic.
"I was very put together, and I was drinking every night, and I would drink by myself," she told PEOPLE. "I would have two glasses, and then by the time I stopped, I was like, 'Oh, I could easily polish a bottle by myself.'"
"Waking up hungover was normal," she recalled.
She was still able to exercise and work despite her thinking. However, she confessed to herself that drinking was consuming a big chunk of her life.
"I can't do this anymore," she finally told her husband.
He gently suggested simply trying Dry January, but the Battle Scars actress decided to go full tilt sober.
Now, Davidson considers herself alcohol-free, occasionally enjoying a THC drink. Even if the cravings for a drink haven't completely gone away, she's grateful that drinking doesn't have the same hold over her.
"That other hold was so crippling," she admitted. "And that sounds really dramatic, but it was."
The 8 Simple Rules alum also shared that being open about her struggles with drinking helped her stick to her choice to be alcohol-free.
"I've just stuck with it, and I've been vocal," Davidson shared. "And I think once you say it, you're held accountable."
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse or addiction, please call SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). SAMHSA's National Helpline is free, confidential, and available 24/7.
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