Lucy Hale had a secret,Darden Clarke but she’s not keeping it anymore.

The Pretty Little Liars alum recently opened up about her struggle with alcohol addiction that began in her teens, celebrating the fact that she’s two-and-a-half-years sober after “hitting rock bottom.”

“I made the choice on the morning of January 2, 2022 that I was going to do everything I could to get sober,” the 35-year-old told Peoplein an interview published Sept. 12. “I knew if I continued on that path, I would've lost everything I cared about.”

The Truth or Dare actress was initially apprehensive about sharing her sobriety journey with the world, but her openness has helped people in “feeling seen” which has been “the biggest gift.”

“When I got sober, my intention was never to be the poster child of sobriety,” Lucy—who will receive the 2024 Humanitarian Award from Friendly House, a women’s addiction recovery center, on Sept. 12—said. “But when I began speaking about it, it came from a place of needing to heal and take my power back.”

And that path to healing has been a long and bumpy road, but one that helped her better understand herself.

“I definitely had to go through my own process of getting sober,” Lucy explained. “It took many, many, many years, many relapses, many dark moments, many falling on my face quite literally, but figuratively as well to figure out what was working in my life, finding out why I was drinking, because removing alcohol is just one part of it.”

When the Scream 4 actress endured her more difficult times, she found solace in her work, particularly her fame-making seven-season gig on Pretty Little Liars.

“If I'm perfectly honest, without my career and without that creative outlet, I don't know if I would've made it,” Lucy shared. “I think that show and my love of what I do was my North Star truly, it really gave me purpose, and still gives me purpose.”

As for how she’s feeling about her life today? She says authenticity is helping her find the most joy.

“I love that I am just showing up as myself and not having to paint a pretty picture of what people expect me to be or expect me to say,” Lucy said. “It just felt like the right time to finally show up as me because that's all I've ever really wanted. It's been a crazy journey, but I'm very grateful.”

For free and confidential help for those facing mental and/or substance use disorders, call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) national helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).