not drinking this month?

curated sobriety resources for you & an introduction ❤️

Hi! I’m Sarah, and I’m a writer and mom living in Los Angeles. I also got sober in my 20s and have been writing about it ever since.

Before I gave up alcohol, I dabbled in breaks from alcohol. I was obsessed with moderation and trying to figure out how to drink “normally.” A couple of weeks or a month without alcohol here or there, I thought, served as proof that I didn’t have a “real” drinking problem. Which was a relief! Because people who have big problems with alcohol can’t just go a month without drinking, right?

Well, I could. But every time I resumed drinking again, I picked up right where I left off. Binge drinking, blackouts, hangovers, shame. I had to accept that the label — alcoholic, alcohol use disorder, binge drinker — didn’t matter. The facts were simple: once I start drinking, it’s really hard for me to stop. Which is why removing alcohol from the equation entirely was the only way I could be free.

Nearly eight years later, being sober still feels like waking up in clean sheets every day, and it’s changed my life in the best ways. So many sober curious people have completely different relationships with alcohol than I did. But if you are a current binge drinker who wants to make a change, I’m here to tell you that, one day at a time, it is possible. You don’t have to drink again.

Below, some writings/resources/recent interviews I’ve done that you might find helpful this month & beyond:

• My book, Drinking Games, offers a deeper look at my first three years without alcohol — dating, friendships, work, wellness culture, living in NYC — and how sobriety changed everything.

• Why I Gave Up Drinking — And How It Changed My Life (an essay I wrote for Cup of Jo)

• How To Break the Cycle of Drinking Culture (a conversation I had with podcast host Arielle Lorre)

• Dry January Only Delayed My Sobriety (an essay I wrote for Bustle)

• How I Survived Wedding Season In My First Year of Sobriety (an essay I wrote for The New York Times)

• A Sober Girls Guide Podcast (tons of great episodes)

• Local recovery meetings are always free and available to anyone who has a desire to stop drinking ❤️ you can search “AA" + the name of your city for a full list!

• This newsletter is where I dig into life in recovery, along with motherhood, writing, culture, and more. Paid subscribers can expect essays, recommendations, conversations, and full access to the archive forever & ever. Free subscribers get occasional updates and goodies, too.

xx

Sarah