Tara Reid claims she turned to drinking to mask her shyness when she first found success in Hollywood. The actress recently spent 60 days in rehab in a bid to kick her alcohol problems, which she claims started when she tried to be the life and soul of the party.

The Big Lebowski star tells In Touch Weekly magazine, "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."

Reid, 33, also found that heavy drinking helped her with insomnia.

She adds, "I have sleeping problems so I would drink to pass out and sleep. I was more of a night drinker... It was a difficult time in my life."

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