Courtney Stodden breaks down in tears over 'abuse' at 16 from older husband as she struggles with sobriety
The 30-year-old reality TV star is on day three of giving up alcohol and is feeling a change inside and out.
Not only is she breaking out in pimples on her face and chest, but painful memories from the past are rising to the surface and flooding her thought process.
What struck her the most is the memory of her first husband, the much-older Doug Hutchison - a 65-year-old actor whom she calls her former 'groomer' - giving her alcohol.
The Washington native said he would drink 'bottle and bottles of alcohol' a day and pushed her to drink too so he could 'control' her.
But these days Stodden does not want to feel 'out of control,' so she is staying away from the booze even if the journey is challenging.
The cover girl also noted that many of her friends are not happy that she has decided to be sober as they won't know what to do with 'healthy' Stodden, but she will stick with her plan no matter what and won't take up drinking again just to please her pals.
'If people don't get it, then maybe they shouldn't be around,' said Stodden who wore a beige bra with two Van Cleef & Arpels necklaces.
The caption read: 'The painful truth.'
Earlier this week the former teen bride told DailyMail.com that she is 'very happy with the decision' as she works on her 'sobriety journey and overall health.'
'Giving up alcohol also helps with my mental health,' Courtney, who has recently signed on for a new Lifetime biopic, shared. 'I feel better without it.'
The wife of movie producer Jared Safier then explained that she had reached for drinks when she felt stressed by fame.
'Alcohol was my escape for years, but it turned into a trap,' shared Stodden to DailyMail.com. 'I used it to survive trauma, but it ended up making me feel more lost and ashamed. This breakup isn't just with a substance—it's with a version of myself I'm ready to leave behind.
'At some point, blacking out stopped being cute. I used alcohol to deal with pain, but all it did was make things messier—and make me louder in all the wrong ways. I'm finally cutting ties. Alcohol and I? Total toxic ex energy.'
More Americans are abstaining from alcohol consumption. This trend is particularly noticeable among younger adults, who are increasingly embracing a 'sober curious' lifestyle, according to Time magazine.
What struck her the most is the memory of her first husband, the much-older Doug Hutchison - a 65-year-old actor whom she calls her former 'groomer' - giving her alcohol
The Washington native said he would drink 'bottle and bottles of alcohol' a day and pushed her to drink too so he could 'control' her. But these days Stodden does not want to feel 'out of control,' so she is staying away from the booze even if the journey is challenging
Stodden broke the news of her newfound sobriety on Instagram on Tuesday as she began, 'Alcohol, I'm breaking up with you. It's been a toxic relationship for years.
'Something I used to cope, to escape, to survive. But it's hurt me more than it's ever helped me—publicly and privately,' wrote the siren.
'Last night was the last time. I'm done letting it control me. I'm done feeling sick and ashamed. I want to be fully present in my life. I want to face my past, my trauma, and my current reality with clear eyes and real strength. To those who understand this battle—thank you.'
Stodden also shared: 'Please respect my space as I walk this new path. It's not easy, but it's necessary.'
The pinup model who resembled Marilyn Monroe also wrote: 'This is something I've gone back and forth about posting. But my life has always been so public and this is a big part of my healing.'
Hugh Hefner's ex-girlfriend Crystal Hefner commented, 'I am so proud of you. I haven't drank since 2009 and it's the best thing. Life is so much brighter and happier without the poison bringing me down. You got this.'
Stodden replied, 'Soul sis❤️.'
Former talk show host Ricki Lake added, 'You got this.'
Stodden with her husband Jared Safier. 'If people don't get it, then maybe they shouldn't be around,' said Stodden
This comes after Courtney shared her feelings on her tragic teenage bride story after her 14 year wedding anniversary.
The beauty told DailyMail.com that tying the knot with A Time To Kill actor Hutchison was a bad move and she won't pretend otherwise.
She was just 16-years-old when she married Hutchison, who was 51 at the time, at a Las Vegas wedding chapel in 2011.
'It stays with me, the pain, I won't stay quiet,' she told DailyMail.com adding Doug was 'emotionally abusive.'
The model then said: 'My voice is my power and for every voice silenced, I'll shout louder. And I won't ask for permission to do what's right. Not anymore. I speak for that little girl within.'
Stodden added: 'I am living life on my own terms now. Everything that's happened in my life, I have handled. I am strong, resilient. I am coming back to myself. I will never let anyone silence me again.'
And she wants to help others: 'I want past victims and survivors to really tap into that part of themselves. We are so strong.'
She has appeared on a string of reality TV shows such as Couples Therapy, Celebrity Big Brother and Hollywood Hillbillies.
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