![](https://cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/210712112637-patricia-heaton-file-super-tease.jpg)
“It’s July where we celebrate our nation’s freedom, also celebrating three years of freedom from alcohol for me,” she said.
Heaton had just finished a 3.5-mile walk, saying if anyone needed help kicking the habit, she’d encourage them.
“A lot to celebrate this month. #3years,” she captioned the video of her walk.
The actress told Parade Magazine last year she stopped drinking after it became too important of a ritual for her.
“I miss it terribly, but at the end of the day, I feel better,” she said. “There’s an actual statistic that women who were moderate drinkers in their 30s and 40s often become alcoholics in their 50s and 60s.”
She continued: “You’re a little bit at sea, and so you reach for the bottle to dull the uncertainty. I sensed that a bit with myself. And as your hormones change, you can’t really process alcohol the same way you did when you were younger. I’ve stopped, and my life has improved significantly.”