A SINGER-songwriter who was unable to look after her daughter after battling a serious alcohol addiction has now been sober for 18 months and is working as a children’s vocal coach.

At the height of her addiction, the 23-year-old, who wished to remain anonymous, was drinking three or four bottles of wine and a bottle of vodka each day. She lost her daughter, home, her job and – temporarily – her sanity.

“I was permanently either drunk or hungover,” she said. “Then I had to give up my child - the worst thing to happen to a mother – and it was all my fault.”

With the help of Hartlepool Action Recovery Team, part of Addaction, she has turned her life around. She joined a weekly support group run by alcohol support worker Joyce Smith and also received one-to-one counselling.

Her daughter was being cared for by her mother and then her sister.

“Through talking and listening to suggestions I began to understand the feelings that made me drink,” she said. “It was often anger – with myself and sometimes with family. Inwardly I would think: ‘I’m useless’, ‘I’ve got no money’, ‘Life is crap’ and this would start a downward spiral.

“I couldn’t let anyone see that inner-me – and would have a drink to make myself seem happy and upbeat – but I would just get wasted and end up feeling wretched, paranoid and hungover again – so it was a vicious cycle.”

She had always enjoyed music and her group encouraged her to try it again, while she cut out week-time drinking and started to see her daughter more, writing songs, working with a band and starting to exercise.

“Within a few months I felt and looked like a different person,” she said. “Gradually, with support, I cut out drinking altogether. I am so grateful to Joyce and Ruth my counsellor at Addaction for helping me. I now have so many plans for the future.”

She works with charity Red Dreams, to help disadvantaged children, and is hoping for musical success or to professionally mentor children.

But she said: “Ultimately my aim is to get my daughter back home, bring her up like a proper mum and give her a lovely life.”