Elizabeth's write stuff 'REHAB SAVED MY LIFE'

Writing about her experiences with sobriety has turned into a comedy for the lawyer

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When Elizabeth Cracroft looks back on her twenties, it’s hard for her to reconcile that young, lost woman with the confident 40-year-old she is today — a criminal defence lawyer, devoted mum to nine-year-old Scarlett and the creator of a transformative theatre show about to kick off its seventh season.

It’s been 16 years since Elizabeth touched alcohol. Her sobriety date - July 22, 2009 — is etched in her brain. She was just 24 when she realised she needed to address her addiction if she wanted to see 30.

“I was really unwell, my liver was swollen and a counsellor told me bluntly I'd be lucky to see out my twenties if I didn’t stop,” she recalls. “I was working full-time, but I was drinking before, during and after work.

“My friends had had enough and my family — good on them — had strong boundaries and gave me tough love. I didn’t really have anyone left.”

Elizabeth’s relationship with alcohol began innocently enough as a teenager. A raspberry RTD at a party gave her something she’d been longing for - relief.

“I was 16, I’d just moved schools, my parents had split up and I felt uncomfortable in my own skin,” she says. “That first drink made me feel normal, confident, like I belonged. I was hooked.”