Jackie ‘O’ Henderson reveals how she plans to celebrate her two years of sobriety as she marks the milestone just weeks after first detailing her addiction battle

Jackie 'O' Henderson reveals how she plans to celebrate her two years of sobriety as she marks the milestone just weeks after first detailing her addiction battle

As a lifestyle expert, I find it truly inspiring to witness Jackie ‘O’ Henderson’s journey towards sobriety and self-discovery. Her courage to share her struggles with drug and alcohol addiction, particularly during such challenging times like the Covid-19 lockdown, is commendable. It takes great strength and resilience to confront one’s demons and seek help.


As I proudly commemorate my two years of sobriety, I share with you one way I plan to honor this significant milestone – a testament to my personal journey, which I recently shared openly about my past struggles with addiction.

For the very first time, the 49-year-old radio host publicly shared details about her long-standing struggle with substance abuse (drug and alcohol addiction) in her recently published memoir entitled “The Whole Truth” a month ago.

In November 2022, she shared details about her 28-day stay at The Betty Ford Center, a well-known rehabilitation facility, which she attended due to battling addiction that had developed during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Jackie openly disclosed that during her most intense period of dependency, she was consuming approximately ten to twelve Stilnox or Ambien sleeping tablets and twenty-four Panadeine Forte pain relievers each day.

Jackie, who has triumphed over her battles with addiction, will celebrate her two-year sobriety milestone on Thursday, November 14, marking a significant accomplishment in her life.

At the Marie Claire’s Women of the Year Awards on Wednesday, Jackie explained to Daily Mail Australia about her spending habits when celebrating special events with her friends.

‘I think we will go out for dinner and celebrate, for sure,’ Jackie proudly shared. 

The media figure admitted that she had unintentionally overlooked the significant date, with her close friend Gemma O’Neill serving as a gentle reminder for her about it.

Jackie 'O' Henderson reveals how she plans to celebrate her two years of sobriety as she marks the milestone just weeks after first detailing her addiction battle

Accompanied by Jackie, Gemma remarked, “I mentioned it to you this morning, and your response was something like, ‘Oh, really?’

After her memoir was published, she couldn’t help but express heartfelt praise for the outpouring of support she’s received and gratefully acknowledged her fans for sharing their personal addiction struggles with her.

To put it simply, I was uncertain about the outcome initially, but the response I’ve received has truly exceeded my expectations. It’s heartwarming to see so many individuals connecting with me and generously sharing their personal stories. I can’t express enough gratitude for this outpouring of support.

It has been a beautiful experience for me as I have been entrusted with secrets that not everyone shares, implying a deep level of trust.

Jackie additionally disclosed that she had given advance notice to certain individuals, such as her former husbands Lee and Phil O’Neil, regarding the content of her memoir, so as to avoid taking them by surprise.

She expressed a desire to treat everyone with kindness, including her daughter (Kitty), her mother, and her former husbands, by not taking them by surprise.

‘There were no huge surprises for the people that I warned anyway.’

In her autobiography, Jackie revealed that the dissolution of her marriage to British photographer Lee in 2018 and the subsequent Covid-19 lockdown led her to struggle with a severe addiction.

Jackie 'O' Henderson reveals how she plans to celebrate her two years of sobriety as she marks the milestone just weeks after first detailing her addiction battle
Jackie 'O' Henderson reveals how she plans to celebrate her two years of sobriety as she marks the milestone just weeks after first detailing her addiction battle

However, her hardships trace back over 15 years, starting when she was given a potent opiate pain reliever for endometriosis – a condition where tissue resembling the womb’s lining develops beyond the uterus, leading to intense discomfort.

She shared that she was given something to use, and during that period, she took it more than necessary. She realized this could potentially become an issue, so she chose to stop using it then.

After a rocky breakup with Lee, Jackie resumed taking her medication, as they share their 13-year-old daughter, Kitty.

Reflecting on my choices, I found myself drawn back to it as a form of temporary solace – a means to find some semblance of joy amidst the chaos. However, in hindsight, I acknowledge that this escape was not the healthiest decision.

Jackie mentioned that she began intermittently using codeine and one Stilnox pill each evening accompanied by a glass of wine. She referred to this pattern as a ‘situation where she loses consciousness’.

‘You can still be awake and have no idea what’s going on,’ Jackie shared. 

‘It’s like you’re kind of functioning but you have no memory.’ 

Jackie’s devastating addiction began taking hold primarily due to spending extended periods of isolation at home during the Covid-19 pandemic. During this time, she admitted to experiencing hardship and deep sadness.

Jackie 'O' Henderson reveals how she plans to celebrate her two years of sobriety as she marks the milestone just weeks after first detailing her addiction battle

In my own words, I found myself gradually increasing the dosage, reaching an extreme point where I was taking approximately 24 Panadeine Forte tablets daily. Later on, this number reduced to around 10 to 12 Stilnox pills each day, which I felt compelled to disclose.

Instead of keeping her work absence a secret by claiming long COVID, she concealed her struggle with addiction by telling her loved ones that she had long COVID during her stay at The Betty Ford Clinic in California in November 2022.

In a heartfelt apology, she confessed that she had not told the truth straightforwardly about having long Covid when she spoke about it on her radio program; she did so indirectly by not disclosing it.

She expressed her sincere apologies to her listeners and those in her life who may have felt left in the dark. She needed to focus primarily on her recovery during the initial year, which required her undivided attention.

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2024-11-14 02:53

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