Cheryl Burke learns ‘addiction wasn’t freedom’ as 41-year-old dancer marks 7 years of sobriety
Dancing With the Stars alum Cheryl Burke is celebrating a deeply personal milestone: seven years of sobriety. She is reflecting on her journey with a powerful and emotional message to fans.
The 41-year-old dancer took to Instagram to share her reflections on life without alcohol, recalling the pain she once tried to numb and the peace she’s found on the other side of addiction.
“7 years ago, I thought sobriety would mean losing everything,” Cheryl wrote. “The fun. The freedom. The fearless version of me I thought only showed up after a drink. But what I didn’t realize back then was that the escape I craved was really from myself. And the girl I ran from? She was the one waiting to save me.”
Cheryl's post featured several candid photos from her drinking days and her transformation since becoming sober. She revealed that she once used alcohol to mask the pain, pressure, and emotional exhaustion of pretending to be okay.
“I used to believe alcohol gave me confidence, connection, and control. Turns out, it stole those things quietly – day by day – until I couldn’t recognize my own reflection,” she added.
The professional dancer, who got sober in 2018 during her engagement to actor Matthew Lawrence, also opened up about her motivation to quit drinking, referencing her late father, Stephen Burke, who struggled with alcoholism. “It was either, I was going to crash and burn, or I was going to stop cold turkey,” she said in an earlier interview.
In her latest message, Cheryl encouraged others battling addiction, assuring them that sobriety is “so much more beautiful” than they might imagine. “What I thought I’d miss in sobriety was never real to begin with. I’ve gained presence. Peace. Self-respect. And a relationship with my Higher Power that reminds me I was never walking alone, not even in my darkest moments.”
She reminded: “Addiction wasn’t freedom. It was a cage dressed up like a good time. Here’s to choosing clarity, wholeness, and me. One day, one hour, one minute at a time.”