Demi Burnett Has Been Sober For Nearly a Year: ‘I Honestly Never Thought I Could Do This’
It’s always 5 o’clock on The Bachelor, and the singles don’t hold back. The franchise has spawned several spinoffs, which have excessive partying and drinking. Although things have changed recently, many contestants suggested they often got drunk on the show.
Demi Burnett was a contestant on The Bachelor who began her sobriety journey a while back. Burnett recently revealed she has been sober for nearly a year. She said, “I honestly never thought I could do this.”
Demi Burnett is celebrating 11 months of sobriety
Burnett has had an eye-opening year. The Bachelor alum shared with her Instagram followers in January that she had been diagnosed with autism. She also opened up about her frequent emotional breakdowns but said, “I know I am growing even if it hurts. It is worth it.” Burnett tweeted about her sobriety, saying,
“I haven’t had a sip of alcohol in 11 months. I used to be drunk all day, every day. I used to drink almost a bottle of Tito’s a day. I honestly never thought I could do this. I never thought I would be able to not drink. This is a wild man.”
Her comment section was filled with praise, with her fans lauding her sobriety efforts. Others shared their sobriety journeys acknowledging how their lives changed once they decided to let go of the indulgence.
A few days earlier, the reality TV star tweeted, “Since my sobriety, I have evolved and I’m so ready to be back in front of a camera.” Burnett joins a long list of celebrities who have vocally detailed their sobriety endeavors.
Model Chrissy Teigen said on Instagram, “Wow, first award season no booze.” Rapper Nicki Minaj revealed in April that being high used to make her happy. “Now I’m happy when I’m sober. No judgment to anyone. Be gentle with yourself,” the singer wrote.
Demi Burnett said alcohol withdrawals almost killed her
Burnett has been a mainstay on The Bachelor. Burnett was eliminated from Colton Underwood’s season of The Bachelor in week 6. She appeared in Bachelor in Paradise twice for the 6th and 7th seasons, winning the sixth.
The reality TV star started a podcast in June 2021 called DemiGoddess, where she talks about her life and career. In one episode of the podcast, Burnett divulged more details about her past and alcohol addiction. Burnett said she woke up one day and told herself she didn’t want to continue down the path she was on.
She said she used alcohol to mask the things happening in her life, saying, “If I didn’t drink, I got very sick.” Burnett revealed the severity of the withdrawal, saying, “When I did stop, the withdrawals were brutal. Withdrawals kill people. I am proud of surviving.”
The alcohol issue in ‘The Bachelor’ franchise
In 2017, Bachelor Nation faced a sex scandal that threatened to end the franchise. The ABC show often placed contestants in an elaborate game of musical chairs every summer. However, in 2017 things took a weird turn when Corinne Olympios and DeMario Jackson ended up having sex on the show.
The scandal forced Warner Bros. to suspend production on BIP and investigate the misconduct allegations. The investigation revealed that nothing improper had occurred, and production resumed without the culprits.
Olympios and Jackson had both been drinking heavily, as was the norm on the show. However, in the wake of the scandal, the studio announced that they were putting in place some changes and rules to “enhance and further ensure the safety and security of all participants.”
According to PEOPLE, one of the changes was setting a limit on alcohol consumption. The site reported that a two-drink maximum per hour was set, but contestants still found ways to get around the rule.
How to get help: In the U.S., contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration helpline at 1-800-662-4357.
