Paige DeSorbo Details Ex Craig Conover's Darkest Days of Drinking Amid Addiction Battle

   

Craig Conover And Paige DeSorbo Relationship

Craig Conover is revealing the "aha" moment he realized he needed to quit drinking.

After finally telling longtime BFF Austen Kroll that he had been privately battling alcohol addiction, the Southern Charm star recounted their "breakthrough" conversation about his newly sober lifestyle to then-girlfriend Paige DeSorbo during the Bravo series' March 13 episode.

"He basically—which is insane—was like, 'You're getting sober to keep up an image,'" Craig told the Summer House star. "So, I finally was like, 'No, I'm getting sober because I'm an addict.' And the day after this talk, Austen was very good about being like, 'Hey, can I get you a soda water?' Something clicked for him, but I just can't believe we got to that point."

Paige called Austen's initial reaction to Craig cleaning up his act "so f--king weird" before noting, "If one of my friends was like, 'I'm trying not to drink for a couple months,' I'd be like, 'Sick.'"

However, Craig admitted he was still getting comfortable with sharing his addiction battle with the world.

"I cried when I said addict though," the Sewing Down South founder shared. "You feel paper thin. I just had never—other than talking to you or my parents—had never said it to anyone. It was a huge step in making us whole again."

Plus, Paige added, "Because he acted the way a friend should."

In a confessional, Craig elaborated on why he waited so long to tell his costar about his recovery journey.

"I come from a family of alcoholics and alcoholism, so when someone stops drinking around me, I know what the reason is," the 36-year-old explained. "Apparently Austen just didn't. But also, I didn't really talk about it because I don't want people to know about it. I think it makes people uncomfortable."

Udo Salters/Getty Images

Back at Craig's house, Paige shared insight into his lowest days of abusing alcohol while noting that addiction can take "so many forms."

"Like, for you, you weren't waking up and being like, 'I gotta have a shot or my body's gonna freak out,'" the 32-year-old said. "But when you were drinking, your personality was way different than what your normal personality is."

And after a montage recapped several past instances of Craig acting out of character while drunk, he admitted, "I was cyclical. I was good for a few months, and then I would go too far."

The pillow designer then got candid for the first time about the turning point in his drinking problem.

"I got to my bottom when I could just see it on Paige's face," Craig—who split from Paige in November after three years of dating—shared in a confessional. "Just this look of I wasn't the guy that she had seen herself marrying. So, Paige was pretty much done. It wasn't until almost losing Paige for me to change my behaviors. Paige was my rock. Yeah, you can never change your drinking for someone. You do it for yourself. But she's the first thing on my app. Like 'why?' If you forget your why, it just says Paige."

And after Paige told her then-boyfriend, "I bit my tongue so many times because truly it is a personal journey," he followed up with, "I got really lucky that you were still there when I made that decision to ask for help and you were there ready."

"I'll always be grateful I didn't lose you when I hit my bottom," he added, "and I don't plan on going back there."

Follow Craig's journey when Southern Charm airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on Bravo. And keep reading to see more stars who have gotten candid about their addiction and sobriety journeys.

 
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