Katie Piper almost ‘destroyed herself’ after turning to drink to 'numb' trauma of acid attack. (Credit: SplashNews)
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Katie Piper almost ‘destroyed herself’ after turning to drink to ‘numb’ trauma of acid attack

Katie's recovery has been an inspiration to millions

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Presenter and activist Katie Piper suffered devastating trauma after her acid attack in 2008.

Katie has previously opened up about how she turned to alcohol to cope with her injuries.

The brutal acid attack left Katie almost ‘destroying herself’ as a result.

Katie Piper was recently awarded an OBE. (Credit: SplashNews)
Katie Piper was recently awarded an OBE (Credit: SplashNews)

Alcohol helped Katie to ‘numb’ the pain

Katie revealed how she dealt with being at her lowest point in her one woman show What’s In My Head in 2017.

Taking to the stage, she told the audience how she struggled to see herself after the attack. As a result, she turned to alcohol to numb the pain.

She said: “I almost destroyed myself six or seven years into my recovery. I can talk about the attack and graphic photos quite easily but this part is difficult because I’ve never talked about it before.

I was drinking to feel numb.

“I’d drink wine, move on to a dodgy spirit, then your cousin’s birthday champagne – then you hear a noise and it’s your neighbours going to work and it’s 7am.”

She added: “I was drinking to feel numb. To feel absolutely nothing until I felt unconsciousness. I was drinking to be someone else.”

The star revealed she how conquered her use of alcohol: “I broke that cycle of using alcohol as a plaster, as an anaesthetic and a solution. I did that by getting specialist counselling.

“Now I recognise those triggers and I use different coping mechanisms.”

Katie Piper has opened up about how she coped after her acid attack in 2008. (Credit: SplashNews)
Katie Piper has opened up about how she coped after her acid attack (Credit: SplashNews)

Katie Piper found love helped her cope

Katie’s acid attack and her recovery afterwards have been highly publicised, particularly as the star gives hope and advice to others dealing with extensive injuries.

For her charity work, Katie recently received an OBE in the New Years Honours list from the Queen.

In 2015, Katie married her partner Richard Sutton who she credits as helping through some of the darker times in her life.

The couple met in 2013 when Katie was at the height of her alcohol struggle and she credits Richard for helping her through her struggles.

The couple have two daughters together, Penelope and Belle.

Read more: Loose Women star Katie Piper on her ‘relief’ of having her eye ‘stitched up’

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Katie Piper’s Breakfast Show airs from 8.30am on Saturdays on ITV.

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