“Two cans of Tennent’s Super and a packet of neurodivergences, please.” It’s 1984. A world before the internet, Google, and ChatGPT. On one hand, innocent and simple. On the other, there’s me, a teenager, pretty messed up in the head, diagnosed with OCD at age 11 and then… nothing. Just the words, “OCD, next.” No…
From family shadows to personal recovery My mom and dad have been married 39 years and I’m the youngest of three. My brothers are close, both in age and confidence. Each preceded me by a decade and some change, so I guess you could call me a surprise. I was little, but I was perceptive….
Embracing life’s challenges and finding strength in sobriety When we choose sobriety, our problems don’t suddenly disappear. Like any deep and genuine healing, a sober life often feels more painful and problematic before it starts to get easier—or at least it can seem that way. Since I let go of alcohol in 2020, I’ve faced…
How I use grief as a recovery tool A sober curious friend asked me the other day if there is any one thing I credit as being the thing that got me sober. My answer: grief. Grief scared me into drinking more. Drinking more made me scared of myself. Like many, for me 2020 was the year…
“Nearly all of my mental and physical self-diagnoses were just symptoms of drinking alcohol.” This series showcases personal stories of addiction recovery and sobriety. Today’s edition features Chris James, a 36-year-old debt adviser from England who works for a charity and is passionate about educating others on the dangers of alcohol. With a wonderful partner…
When my alcoholism was at its peak, there was no functioning without it. After having witnessed some of the most tragic scenes humanity had to offer during my army service, my ability to function without chemical assistance was impossible. Trauma and substance abuse often go hand in hand, and my case was no exception. Truth…
How to get back on track after a relapse or slip For Beth Recently, at the bakery, change has been afoot. New employees. New equipment. New business trends. These changes have paralleled my lived experience, especially in my journey towards sobriety, leading me to redefine what it means to be sober. One change in the…
Sober App partners with BetterHelp offering a free month (4 sessions) of therapy to those who commit to going dry in January Sober has developed a fun challenge for those who restrain from alcohol or reduce their consumption in January through its free app. Users can create a team to invite their family, friends or…
Meet sober writers and connect in the comments! Welcome! As part of celebrating and growing the Sober App Substack community, this periodic feature showcases recent guest contributors. Check out their bios and publications below, find their guest posts on the homepage, and share your own sober publication or say hello in the comments. Jo Christian (they/them) is a…
Finding hope, healing, and renewal through the small but powerful lessons of everyday life. By: Michelle Neeling Note: I wrote this essay in response to a prompt during a writing workshop with Cheryl Strayed in October 2022. For a long time, I kept it close to my chest, unsure if it would be of any interest…