tara reidTara Reid has revealed that she turned to alcohol to help mask her shyness when she first became famous.

The American Pie star, who recently completed 60 days in rehab, told In Touch Weekly: “I felt like everyone was judging me and watching me. I think I drank because it gave me a kind of confidence.

“When I went out, everyone always wanted to have a drink with me - because I was known as this fun, party girl. I became that person.

“I have sleeping problems [too] so I would drink to pass out and sleep. I was more of a night drinker… It was a difficult time in my life.”

But now she is happy to be sober: “The hardest thing was walking through the door for the first time [and] finally admitting that I had a problem.

“I wasn’t drinking any more than my friends, so I didn’t get it. I’d think, ‘Why am I an alcoholic and she isn’t?’ The truth is, some people can drink, and some can’t… I like alcohol but it didn’t like me. It numbed my feelings.

“Rehab saved my life. Before, I used to think about tomorrow and I hated it. Now I can’t wait.

“My focus is to get back in my career and stay sober, and keep on having a better life one day at a time.”