Leah McSweeney Shares Terrifying Details Of Her Past Addiction

Leah McSweeney shot into the spotlight when she joined the cast of "The Real Housewives of New York" in 2020. Prior to becoming a reality television star, the mom-of-one made her name as a fashion entrepreneur, creating the streetwear brand Married to the Mob in 2004 and a second clothing line, Happy Place, in 2020. She also recently penned her own memoir, "Chaos Theory," in which she details how she was able to overcome drug and alcohol addiction in her formative years and go on to start a family and launch her businesses. 

"It was cathartic but I also felt gutted, because I had to relive a lot of sh*t that I don't think about daily," Leah told Interview Magazine in April of the process of writing the memoir. Her ultimate goal through writing her experiences was for "people to relate to it and know they're not alone." The way she went about writing her book was unique as well in that she related "chaos theory and the actual scientific, mathematical formula to real life." For anyone wondering, chaos theory is a framework for describing how unpredictable, surprising things happen while also exploring the interconnectedness of all living and nonliving systems.

One of the key components of Leah's book is delving into her addiction and how she was able to get sober, and now she's further opening up about the topic. 

Leah McSweeney details her experience with alcohol and drug addiction in her new memoir, "Chaos Theory." In an interview with Page Six published on April 5 about her journey to sobriety, the "Real Housewives of New York" star says that there was a point in her adolescence where she "could have died" had she not taken her addiction seriously. When she was 18 years old, Leah says her parents sent her to live in a therapeutic community headed by nuns to get sober. While she "held [that] against them for years and years," it was only after completing a 12-Step program in 2009 that she understood their reasons. "I wouldn't have the life that I have now, so I'm so grateful for that," she revealed.

The reality television star got sober in 2009, but returned to drinking ahead of Season 12 of "RHONY," breaking more than 10 years of sobriety. She opened up about her relapse in an interview with Today in May 2021. "I struggled the whole season," she revealed, adding, "I was so in the throes of ... my alcoholism that I knew that I should stop, but I couldn't at the time. I wasn't ready." Leah admitted that she felt a lot of "shame about being an alcoholic." She was finally able to get sober again in April 2020 and considers herself "lucky" for being able to do that.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).