Danniella Westbrook reveals plans to become a therapist to help others following drugs and alcohol battle

Danniella Westbrook has revealed plans to train as a therapist.

The former EastEnders actress, who has been open about her struggles with drugs and alcohol in the past, explained how she now wants to help others overcome their demons.

Appearing on the Victoria Derbyshire show, Westbrook, who played the role of Sam Mitchell in the BBC One soap, told the host how her new career will stop her from being tempted by drugs and alcohol in the future.

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“I think personally for me, the thing that can stop me is keeping in a programme, helping others, helping the newcomer and getting involved with working with a treatment centre.”

Having already put the wheels in motion to help her achieve her aim, Westbrook continued to comment: “I'm hoping this September to start my therapist course so I can become a therapist.

“I'm doing an NVQ [Level] 1 and 2 in social care so I can work for a detox centre.

“My aim is to really get a treatment centre up and running in the next 12 months and get as many free beds as we can for people in areas that can't afford rehab because there's so many people out there crying out for it and young people as well.”

During the interview, Westbrook also revealed that she attends AA meetings seven days a week.

Recalling the moment she realised she needed to seek treatment again, the actress said: “I tried to kill myself daily, really through using and drinking alcohol.

“Also on top of that, I had the cancer diagnosis which I just ignored for 12 months until my son gave up his house and moved in with me and was constantly on at me and battling to try and get me to see what I was doing with my life.”

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Asked by Derbyshire about whether she thought she had been treated differently to others who had an addiction.

“Of course there is. You know they'll say they're under pressure. It's just a phase they're going through.

“Whereas with people like me, they're like, ‘well they're common and they're a crack head' or 'they're a drug addict'. It'll be stuff like that.

“But at the end of the day, an addict is an addict is an addict no matter whether you're up here or down there. The same addiction eats you up in the same way.”