Golnesa “GG” Gharachedaghi Says She “Turned to the Bottle” To Cope with Her Illness #ShahsOfSunset

As the fifth season of the Shahs of Sunset barrels to a close, questions surrounding the severity of Golnesa “GG” Gharachedaghi‘s rheumatoid arthritis continue to plague the cast.

Golnesa has been suffering with rheumatoid arthritis since 2014. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints. Autoimmune diseases are illnesses that occur when the body’s tissues are mistakenly attacked by their own immune system

In a recent interview, GG opens up about how her wild partying and excessive drinking were used as a coping mechanisms to deal with her painful autoimmune disease. RA has affected her body, and prevented her from not being able to hold her phone or sit in the car for too long.

“I wasn’t mentally ready for it,” GG told People of undergoing chemotherapy to help treat her rheumatoid arthritis. “I turned to the bottle for pain and mental management. I was drinking a lot. And when I say ‘a lot,’ I mean I was literally waking up in the morning and downing a bottle of vodka … I just wanted to numb out.”

GG explained that even though it may have looked like she was having a blast while out partying, its negative effects would hit her hard the next day.

“I would just drink and drink until I couldn’t feel my body,” she said. “Because you know, when we drink, it’s like we can do anything – we’re invincible. So I was dancing on tables and then I would wake up the next day and not be able to walk for the whole day. But those moments felt so good to me when I was in them that the following day didn’t matter. I just wanted to feel that numbness again.” 

However, in the course of time, GG eventually realized her drinking was “very scary” and “it became obvious that it was a problem.” So she checked herself into rehab earlier this year, and she completed the program about five weeks ago.

“It’s all about cleansing the liver and the soul,” she said of the “spiritual retreat.” “I’m learning different ways of living. It’s a different lifestyle. It’s been an amazing transition for me.”

GG addressed her Shahs castmates lack of faith in the severity of her illness and glooming doubts. 

“I should be grateful to these people. They gave more attention to RA! Now more people know what RA is, they’re Googling it,” she said. “Like, wow, this disease that so many people have never heard of is now getting so much attention. That’s amazing.” 

https://www.instagram.com/p/86I8caNYAR/

Known for her hot temper, GG‘s mellowed while dealing with her health crisis. And how is the explosive Persian diva dealing with conflict today? 

“I mean, don’t get me wrong – that fire is still inside of me, and the fire will definitely show up when it needs to, but let’s just say I’ve buried the knives,” she said. “If a situation ever occurs, I know now how to use my words instead of my fists.”  

 

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