On the occasion of her 39th birthday, former Home and Away star Jodi Gordon shared an honest Instagram post about her battles with substance abuse.
In a lengthy article, Jodi—who portrayed Martha MacKenzie on the soap opera from 2005 to 2010—shared the confession: “I have struggled with substance abuse for the majority of my life. I entered recovery at the age of 24, but I have never been able to say that I stopped.” I became sober on April 7, 2022, and I have remained sober ever since. This has drastically changed my life in ways I never would have imagined.”
“My mother is my hero in this lifetime,” she continued. “She has taught me time and again to rely on my own strength to get back up, look forward, and make use of the resources I have been given.” Mom, you’re the tallest and strongest person in the room.”
Jodi talked about her father as well, calling the man who died away a year ago “proper magic” and someone who gave her lessons in “acceptance, forgiveness, and unconditional love”.
“I always wanted a big family, and I got one with my daughter Aleeia,” she continued, referring to her daughter. She is so loving, fierce, patient, intelligent, and interested that she is unlike any human I have ever met.
Jodi went on, “I love being her teacher and student.” “She is my reason for every day.”
Aleeia’s father, Braith Anasta, who she had previously married, was thanked “for the most wonderful gift of a lifetime” by her.
Following the birth of their daughter in 2014, Jodi and the former NRL player were wed from 2012 till 2015.
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In her thank-you speech, the actress stated that her friends “are her family” and that they “helped me create the life I could only dream of today”.
She also disclosed that she is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Counseling and Communication Skills degree and is employed by Sane Australia in her first mental health professional role.
‘Really dark place’
Jodi had previously discussed her struggle with depression and that she was in a “really dark place” after her 2022 rehab stay.
“At the beginning of those 30 days, there were no smiles,” she said to Stellar. “You’re not going to be smiling if you find yourself in a situation where a number of people are deciding for you that you need to check yourself into a treatment facility.
“Not only did I learn a lot from connections, but I also gained a lot of knowledge about coping techniques and how to begin managing pain and trauma.
“And how, once you exit that rehab facility, to start implementing those tools into your life and restructure and build a bigger, better life.”