Millie Mackintosh, the 36-year-old reality star and influencer, reveals she self-medicated with alcohol during her undiagnosed ADHD, while sharing details on her panic attacks as she approaches four years of sobriety this summer. She quit drinking in 2022.
Sobriety Journey and Undiagnosed ADHD
Undiagnosed ADHD made school years challenging for Millie, leading her through five different schools. She first tried alcohol in her early teens, using it as a mask to fit in socially.
Millie explained: “Alcohol was the most accessible medicine I could find. It was socially acceptable, and you’re encouraged to have a couple of drinks. My brain slowed down, the noise stopped, and I felt relief. I wanted to keep that feeling, so I kept drinking without an off switch.”
After quitting, she removed the mask. On the Spooning with Mark Wogan podcast, she shared: “When learning to socialize with alcohol, you mask your true self and become inauthentic.”
Two years post-sobriety, Millie received her ADHD diagnosis. In an interview with Women’s Health UK alongside Claire Sanderson and Gemma Atkinson, she noted complete abstinence is best: “I wasn’t a daily drinker, but when I drank, I binged to blackout. That urge is unhealthy, so abstaining fully works better than moderation.”
Panic Attack Experiences and Coping Strategies
The mother of two describes three types of panic attacks:
- Feeling faint with blurry vision, dizziness, and low blood pressure, needing to lie down.
- Nausea so intense she bolts to a bathroom to avoid vomiting.
- The scariest: fearing death with throat constriction, chest pressure, dry throat, hyperventilation, and blackout sensations.
To manage them, Millie uses grounding techniques: focusing on her body, smelling essential oils, temperature changes like cold showers or ice water on wrists/face/neck to activate the vagus nerve.
Diet Changes to Support ADHD
Millie cut refined sugar a year ago after a 10-day detox, adopting an 80/20 whole-foods approach that balances her ADHD symptoms and daily mood.
On Instagram, she detailed: “Focusing on whole foods supports blood sugar balance, reduces inflammation, and nourishes the brain and body. It’s nourishment, not restriction—food as medicine.” She credits insights from Dr. Mark Hyman on avoiding ultra-processed foods.
Her typical day starts with bone broth, followed by a protein shake, soup for lunch, and curry or stew for dinner.
