(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Brigitte Nielsen has thanked her fans and colleagues for the calls and emails she received after haunting pictures recently released showed her drinking vodka in a park looking unkempt.

The 49-year-old has had a long-running battle with alcohol but says the worrying images are not a sign that she is off the rails.

She told RadarOnline that she is going through a lot and turning to booze was a temporary fix but she is seeking help.

"Looking at the pictures I can understand the level of worrying, but I can assure everyone that there is no cause for alarm," she told the site.

"I have been on the road working non-stop for such a long time all the pressure that comes with it.

"That combined with major health issues in my family drove me to the unfortunate circumstances that you can see on the pictures. At that moment in time, I felt like I needed a moment to myself in a park.

"The vodka came about as a desperate move to try to release some pressure and is under no circumstances an indication of how I lead my life on a day to day basis.

"I have spoken to my sponsor from Alcoholics Anonymous and I continue to go to meetings." (C) Cover Media