Jessica Simpson shares unrecognisable photo to mark four years sober

Jessica Simpson has shared a 4 year old photo and she confesses that the woman she sees in the image is "an unrecognizable version of myself". Photo / Instagram

After opening up about her battles with alcohol and pills in her 2020 memoir, Open Book, Jessica Simpson has continued on her path to sobriety and this week celebrated four years clean with a brutally honest Instagram post.

Sharing a photograph of herself from four years ago, when she felt at her lowest, the 41-year-old entrepreneur confesses that the woman she sees in the image is "an unrecognisable version of myself".

The photo, taken on November 1 in 2017, shows Simpson with a puffy face and red eyes, wearing a pink tracksuit and looking introspectively off camera.

Explaining the significance of the photo in her recovery journey Simpson shares: "I knew in this very moment I would allow myself to take back my light, show victory over my internal battle of self respect, and brave this world with piercing clarity.

"Personally, to do this I needed to stop drinking alcohol because it kept my mind and heart circling in the same direction and quite honestly I was exhausted. I wanted to feel the pain so I could carry it like a badge of honor."

Whilst she has always been open about her addition to alcohol, Simpson admits: "The drinking wasn't the issue. I was. I didn't love myself." Photo / Instagram

The pain Simpson references would certainly include the sexual abuse that she suffered at the hands of the daughter of a family friend. Last year, when her book was released, openly describing the abuse, Simpson stated that while she "forgives" the unnamed woman, she doesn't want to "live in denial" about what happened.

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A post shared by Jessica Simpson (@jessicasimpson)

Simpson also addressed the "stigma" around alcoholism in her moving Instagram post yesterday. She shared: "There is so much stigma around the word alcoholism or the label of an alcoholic. The real work that needed to be done in my life was to actually accept failure, pain, brokenness, and self sabotage. The drinking wasn't the issue. I was. I didn't love myself."

Simpson's candour around her addiction struggles is genuine and honest, placing responsibility at her own door and not looking to apportion blame to others. She signs off her poignant post with the words:

"I have made nice with the fears and I have accepted the parts of my life that are just sad. I own my personal power with soulful courage. I am wildly honest and comfortably open. I am free."

Sexual harm - Where to get help
If it's an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
If you've ever experienced sexual assault or abuse and need to talk to someone, contact Safe to Talk confidentially, any time 24/7:
• Call 0800 044 334
• Text 4334
• Email support@safetotalk.nz
• For more info or to web chat visit safetotalk.nz
Alternatively contact your local police station - click here for a list.
If you have been sexually assaulted, remember it's not your fault.