Getting sober helped me stop running from something. Going public helped me feel safe from the stigma. I first “went public” with my recovery in May 2024, when I launched my Substack newsletter, Recoverettes. I had been working on a piece for many years about my recovery, about how I felt I was an unlikely “alcoholic”…
Learning to pause, observe, and choose differently When I decided to stop drinking, it was really hard to sit with the cravings. I would wake up and tell myself, “I’m not drinking later today.” However, my subconscious mind had already made the decision. A difficult situation, moment, or thought would arise during the day, and…
Believe me, I tried. In 2021, I untangled myself from alcohol. Prior to that, my dance with drinking had become a nightly tango. The steps were automatic, the choreography my own. Ice tumbling into my glass mere minutes after walking through the door was the only thing that helped me exhale. Just hearing the sound…
“I had to retrain my brain to not think of alcohol as the first and only solution to every problem.” This series showcases personal stories of addiction recovery and sobriety. Today’s edition features Katie MacBride, who writes the Ask a Sober Lady newsletter on Substack. She’s also a journalist who frequently covers substance use, mental health, and…
And being in it still counts. You came back. Again. That alone says more than you think. Maybe it’s been months since anyone saw your face on a meeting screen. Maybe it’s been years. But there you were—raw, tired, blinking through the screen, voice trembling, saying what you didn’t want to say again: “I just…
A journey through abuse, addiction, and healing This series showcases personal stories of addiction recovery and sobriety. Today’s edition features Alle C. Hall, an author in recovery for 35 years. Alle’s autobiographical novel, As Far as You Can Go Before You Have to Come Back, has received 16 honors, including first place in The National League of…
Open thread, share your thoughts! 💬 How has getting sober changed your relationship with your kids? Or how you show up as a parent? I recently asked this question on Substack Notes, and the responses brought tears to my eyes. Even though I’m not a parent myself, parents who choose not to drink will always…
“Sobriety gave me the power to listen deeply, to myself and others.” This series showcases personal stories of addiction recovery and sobriety. Today’s edition features Marianna Portela , a Brazilian storyteller and group facilitator living in the United Kingdom. Marianna weaves myth, memory, and ancestral healing into her work with women across cultures. She writes the…
“That little voice that led you to this place, to this spot, that’s the voice you need to listen to now.” This series showcases personal stories of addiction recovery and sobriety. Today’s edition features Shane Willbanks, a recovered alcoholic, writer, and proud work-in-progress. In his newsletter, Sober Duder’s Spot, he writes about the gritty, beautiful, often ridiculous…
We don’t have to do this alone. Throughout life, we are constantly supported by communities, whether we actively seek them or not. When we first start school and someone takes our hand in the playground, when we join university or college and talk about our lives “back home,” or even when we buy the latest…