(BANG) -Brigitte Nielsen says there is ''no cause for alarm'' after shocking pictures emerged over the weekend of her drinking vodka in a park.

However the star, who has openly battled an addiction to alcohol, wants her fans and friends to know she appreciates their concern.

She told website RadarOnline: ''I would like to thank all my fans as well as my friends from the Hollywood community for the heartwarming calls and emails about those unfortunate and dramatic pictures.

''Looking at the pictures I can understand the level of worrying, but I can assure everyone that there is no cause for alarm. I have been on the road working non-stop for such a long time, fulfilling my professional commitments, shooting shows around the world with all the pressure that comes with it.''

The 49-year-old actress was pictured over the weekend drinking directly from a bottle of Popov vodka and also from an unlabeled mini bottle. She chain smoked cigarettes and later stumbled to the grass where she appeared to pass out.

She said: ''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.''