How should I count the amount of time I've been lifting?

I started lifting 6 days per week since the early of August 2023, so it's technically been 1 year 5 months.

But since June of 2024, I got addicted to meth and struggling a lot with addiction and substance abuse. For every month, I would relapse and starve myself for like a week, didn't work out, didn't eat anything. And I definitely didn't pay much attention to bulking or dieting. For the rest of the month I worked out hard, 6 days per week like normal. I gained back strength, and again lost them all when the next month relapse happened again. The cycle continued. I broke it now, been clean, at least this month I didn't relapse at all. Hope I could break the cycle! I'm getting my help.

It's just that how should I count lifting time? I did work out 6 days per week for the rest of the weeks I wasn't under influence. But every time I relapsed I lost all my gains. Now my strength is only at the same level as them on the week before when I developed substance abuse. It was 7 months ago, and I've now lost 5kg compared to then. Those last 7 months feel like they didn't count.

I don't want to tell people I've been hitting the gym for 1 year and a half for them to tell me you only look like that lift like that for that long. Should I tell people I've lifted for 8 months or 1 year 5 months if asked and have to tell for progression pics?