A MUM-of-three who was addicted to booze aged 12 has revealed how her children refuse to have anything to do with her after she “ruined her life”.
Zosia Rembowski, 54, from Blackpool, Lancashire, opened up about how she abandoned her kids, leaving them to be brought up by their grandma.
And two of her three daughters have not forgiven her after she failed to turn up to visits in favour of getting drunk.
Zosia says she is now sober and is backing a charity campaign aimed at helping other alcoholics and addicts.
But she admits she would "do anything to turn the clock back" and save the relationships with her estranged daughters.
After regularly going into school drunk when just 12, she left the week of her 13th birthday, she told LancsLive.
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She had already learnt ways to try to hide her drinking from others including her mum, teachers and classmates – such as knocking back mouthwash or chewing gum before going into class or home.
She recalled drinking spirits or strong lager as swiftly as possible to get drunk, though did take jobs such as helping in a fish and chip shop to help fund her addiction.
Zosia went on to have three daughters but each one went on to live with her own mum rather than remain with her.
She said: "That's a massive regret and I would do anything to turn the clock back.
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"Two of my children still haven't forgiven me, they can't forgive me for not being present – when I was there and did turn up, I was only physically there, I wasn't mentally there."
She says she does now have "the most amazing relationship" with her youngest daughter, son-in-law and grand-daughter.
She added: "I always say, 'you can't give up hope' and I can't give up hope, as a mum, with the other two.
"I just have to wait until they're ready and accept that they might never want a relationship."
Zosia decided to speak out to support the "Hiding In Plain Sight" campaign launched by the Brighton-based charity Change Grow Live which works with recovering addicts across the UK.
She works with the charity locally as a volunteer, hoping to pass on advice to help others risking similar problems – especially those aged between 18 to 30, many of whom she says are "still in party mode".
Scientists have previously identified "telltale signs" for parents to spot whether their children will grow up to be alcoholics.
Adults who fear they too have a problem with drink have also been offered guidance by addiction specialists.
A study last month did suggest two-thirds of drinkers want to cut back on their boozing this summer.
Other recent research has warned drinking can increase your risk of more than 60 diseases – including many that haven't previously been linked to booze, such as gout, cataracts, fractures and gastric ulcers.
The NHS recommends people drink no more than 14 units per week, spread across three days or more.
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This works out at around six medium (175ml) glasses of wine or six pints of four per cent beer.
More than five per cent of all deaths globally are as a result of harmful alcohol use, experts say.
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