Former reality TV star Liz Lee has shared how she spent her earnings from MTV's "My Life as Liz" show on drugs, lived in her car, and ultimately found her way to sobriety.

Lee, who was a high school student when her life became the focus of the 2010 series, told fans on TikTok that after her show ended, she "spent all my money on drugs" and hit rock bottom on more than one occasion.

The former reality star said her struggles got worse after a breakup with an older partner she began dating at 20 years old. She did not know how to cope with the split, she explained, so she turned to substances. At her worst, she lived in her car and cycled through addiction and brief stints of stability.

"I ended up going to rehab ... and then I got sober, and it saved my life," she said.

For more than nine years, Lee stayed away from substances, crediting her longest stretch of sobriety to intensive outpatient programs and sober living. She named therapies such as EMDR, CBT, DBT, and TMS among the treatments that helped her rebuild healthy patterns of thinking and behaviour.

@lizleeofficial

Grwm turned into me telling my life story. Re: tv show, drug addiction, dating famous guy 14 years my senior, etc. Comment if you want a part 2 I guess, where I do my eye make up.

♬ original sound - Liz Lee

Her sobriety journey was tested when, shortly after defending her master's thesis and celebrating her birthday, she relapsed on ketamine. A friend had framed it as therapeutic, but she knew it crossed the line.

"Snorting is a heavy indicator that it was clearly a relapse and did count," Lee admitted.

The relapse led her back to treatment, this time through the Blackburn Foundation, which funded a combination of intensive outpatient and sober living programs. She returned to daily therapy and continued to embrace structured support.

Lee said the setback taught her that addiction is a lifelong disease, not a chapter that can be closed.

As of July 2025, Lee said she has been sober for nine months following her most recent return to treatment. She credits ongoing therapy, community support, and programs, including those offered by the Blackburn Foundation, with helping her maintain focus. Lee now uses her platform to destigmatize addiction, urging others to seek help rather than cope alone.

Her story underscores that recovery can involve setbacks but that each return to treatment can be beneficial. Lee's honesty about relapse and recovery highlights the importance of continued care and community in sustaining long-term sobriety.

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MTV, Reality TV, Tv, Sobriety, TikTok