**A Major Milestone Honored**: Lucy Hale Celebrates Four Years of Sobriety
As the former *Pretty Little Liars* star marked four years of sobriety, she reflected on her challenging yet rewarding health journey. "Four years ago, I reached a very dark chapter and my personal rock bottom," Lucy captioned her Jan. 2 Instagram post. "It's astonishing to say, but that ended up being the greatest gift and the pivotal turning point in my life."
"The path hasn't always been smooth," she continued. "There's been pain, discomfort, loneliness, and deep self-confrontation. But sobriety has returned my life to me. I am profoundly grateful for every single moment that has brought me to this point."
The 36-year-old also shared an emotional message for anyone struggling with addiction. "Please know this: there is always a chance to begin again," she urged her followers. "Keep going. Keep speaking your truth. Ask for help. And remember that you are so worthy of a life you're proud of. Your existence matters, and so does the story you carry. It DOES get better."
She even shared her own revelations since beginning her sobriety journey in 2022. "I've realized that darkness isn't always something to fear," she concluded. "It's often the very thing that leads us toward the light."
Along with sharing a screenshot of her sobriety, Lucy also included quotes about looking to the future. "A new beginning is always variable to us," a page from Cleo Wade's book *In a World of Sunrises: 365 Days of Heart, Soul, and Hope* read. "We are not trapped in or beholden to outdated versions of ourselves or our lives. We get to choose change. We get to choose a way from our past patterns. We get to leave ghosts in the shadows and walk in the sun with new friends."
In another photo of her Instagram post, Matt Cooke wrote, "There's a future version of you telling the most incredible story of how all this came together."
Since Lucy made her decision to be sober, she's overcome many social anxieties that came with her lifestyle change. As she explained on the *Call Her Daddy* podcast in October 2023, "I find some of the most intriguing, complex, and beautiful human beings I know struggle this same way." "I feel so elated to be able to talk about these things and know that I'm doing well," she added. "This is something I work on every day. I choose myself every moment of every day because I have to, because I want to be here and live a full life."
