Former Miss Universe Australia Olivia Molly Rogers has shared how anxiety and silly fights with her husband led her to quit alcohol for good – and she didn’t even indulge in a glass of champagne on her wedding day.
From the time she started drinking in her teens, the 29-year-old model said she would often black out for half the night and wake up riddled with ‘debilitating’ anxiety and a sense of dread that sometimes lingered for three days.
‘They say that drinking alcohol is like pouring fuel onto an open flame if you have anxiety and that’s definitely what I was experiencing,’ the Melbourne-born bride revealed on TikTok.
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Former Miss Universe Australia Olivia Molly Rogers has revealed how anxiety and silly fights with her now-husband Justin Mckeon lead her to quit alcohol for good
The former beauty queen hasn’t had alcohol for over ten months, after initially quitting for one week
The speech pathologist, who was crowned Miss Universe Australia in 2017, said drinking also led to ‘silly’ fights with her partner Justin Mckeone.
The part-time model shared snaps of her wedding on Instagram recently, noting it was ‘the perfect day’ which began with both of her parents walking her down the aisle.
‘I’ve never seen Justin smile like he did when I was coming down the aisle (with tears in his eyes), it’s a moment I will never forget.’
The couple’s relationship has grown stronger since Ms Rogers decided to quit alcohol on May 1, 2021.
She even made the decision not to drink on her wedding day and says the celebration was ‘perfect’ – she is pictured here being walked down the aisle by her parents
The former pageant queen pictured here in her second wedding dress of the evening initially meant her alcohol ban to be short but found she was better off without the drink
‘It was just the straw that broke the camel’s back,’ she told news.com.au.
‘This was happening way too often and when I reflected on it that day when I was hungover – the common denominator here is alcohol.’
While Olivia initially planned to take just a few weeks off drinking, she quickly noticed the many benefits of living a sober lifestyle.
The blonde beauty said she no longer suffers from headaches, sleeps better and almost instantly noticed an improvement in her mental health.
Her physical strength also improved, with Olivia feeling ‘stronger and more efficient’ in her workouts after just two weeks on the dry.
Since going dry in May, the blonde beauty (pictured) said she no longer suffers from headaches, sleeps better and almost instantly noticed an improvement in her mental health
While Olivia initially planned to take just a few weeks off drinking, she quickly noticed the many benefits of living a sober lifestyle
She has since embraced sobriety as a long-term lifestyle choice and encourages others to reconsider their relationship with alcohol, just like she did.
Olivia believes education around alcoholism is too black and white.
‘[It’s like] you either drink and you’re OK drinking or you’re an alcoholic and you shouldn’t drink and there’s no in between, but that’s not true,’ she said.
‘I think there’s so much grey area that is not spoken about, particularly in Australia.’
Olivia is not alone.
The Adelaide model (pictured) has embraced sobriety as a long-term lifestyle choice and encourages others to reconsider their relationship with alcohol, just like she did
Recent figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveal more than a quarter of Australians – 28.9 percent – are mostly abstaining from alcohol, while a further 9.5 percent are drinking less than they were this time last year.
Over the past four years, the number of ex-drinkers in Australia rose from 1.5million to 1.9million.
The growing sober scene is largely fuelled by hordes of Instagram influencers who tout the benefits of their alcohol-free lifestyles online, and the hospitality industry is taking note.
Australia’s first-ever non-alcoholic bar opened its doors in Melbourne on May 1 last year pouring a menu of more than 100 alcohol-free beers, wines and cocktails to teetotal punters.
Australia’s first-ever non-alcoholic bar and bottle shop (pictured) opened its doors in Melbourne on May 1
Brunswick Aces bar is designed for anyone who is living or entertaining the thought of a sober lifestyle
Brunswick Aces in Brunswick East, six kilometres north of the CBD, was designed for anyone who is living or entertaining the thought of a sober lifestyle.
Brand director Stuart Henshall said the ‘inconsistent’ stocking of non-alcoholic products in traditional bars led to a stand off between venues and consumers.
‘People don’t know where stocks what – venues say we don’t stock alcohol-free options because nobody asks for them, but sober consumers say they don’t go out because of the lack of these options,’ Mr Henshall previously told Daily Mail Australia.
‘We wanted to create somewhere for people to come and also to prove to traditional venues that there is demand for non-alcoholic products.’
CEO and co-founder Stephen Lawrence said he has been ‘inundated with messages’ from sober drinkers from Perth to Sydney, as well as overseas.
For support for alcohol-related problems and addiction you can contact Turning Point Services, or one of the many other services available, speak to your GP, local health service or call a helpline.
There are trained telephone counsellors available in all Australian states and territories.