SPIRITUAL SUBSTANCE

Too Many Meds in Recovery: Why Treatment Programs Need to Rethink Polypharmacy

In the Hulu series Dopesick, we watch well-intentioned doctors prescribe OxyContin, believing they’re helping. They trust the company. They trust the data. They trust that more medication equals better outcomes. And then—through the lens of hindsight—we watch that trust morph into complicity in an epidemic.

SOBER NOT SUBTLE

Five Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before I Got Sober | Sober Not Subtle

When I first decided to get sober, I half-expected it to feel like a highlight-reel moment—crowd roaring, lights flashing, me spiking the ball of redemption in the end zone. 

Spoiler alert: it felt more like running 90 yards for a touchdown… only to have it called back for holding. 

If I could sit my younger self down across a diner booth, I’d probably slide over the coffee, look him dead in the eyes, and say, “You have no idea what’s about to hit you, kid. But hang on — it’s worth it.” 

SPEAK OUT! SPEAK LOUD!

Moving to the Other Side of the World … and Staying Sober … Even During the Holidays!   

I got sober the first time in Tucson, Arizona, two days before my 30^th birthday. I had a wonderful support system of like-minded women who nurtured me and helped me find my feet in early sobriety. Then after several years clean and sober, my husband and I moved to New Zealand. It was a huge move for me — away from my sister, who is also in recovery, and away from my supportive group of sober friends. I was full of grief and fear at losing my connections. 

WHAT A TRIP!

How to Replace Hangxiety With Mornings That Bring You Joy 

There were mornings I could not move. I would wake up on the couch, heart pounding, covered in cold sweat, stomach knotted, mind already running ahead of me. The TV was still on. The food I ordered was untouched, sitting stone-cold outside the door. I could remember just enough to know I had passed out waiting for it. Not a blackout, not exactly, but close enough. 

It wasn’t the headache that got me. Or the nausea. Those were manageable. It was the panic. The crawling dread under my skin made it hard to breathe. I would lie there for an hour, maybe more, frozen in place with this heavy, sick certainty that something was wrong. I had not looked at my phone yet, but I already knew I must have said something. Missed something. Messed something up. Even if I hadn’t, my brain decided I had. 

THIRSTY FOR WONDER

When Recovery Goes Quiet  

By November, the trees have stopped performing. Their leaves are gone, the color has drained from the canopy, and what’s left looks almost skeletal. It’s tempting to see that as a loss, but it isn’t. It’s structure. It’s what’s been there all along; the framework that holds through every season. 

When I walk through my neighborhood this time of year, I notice how clearly I can see the shape of each tree. Some grow straight and steady. Others twist toward the sun in wild, resilient ways. Some carry broken limbs that healed at odd angles. There’s no disguising any of it now. The architecture is exposed — honest and exact. 

SOBERSCOPES

SoberScopes: The Horoscope for Sober Souls. | Dec 1 - 15

December opens with a noticeable downshift. After November’s whiplash—truth-telling, backtracking, reversals, revelations—you can finally feel the emotional dust starting to settle. The ground stops moving under your feet. The static quiets. You can hear yourself think again.

But don’t mistake calmer for quiet.

#WEDORECOVER

Sober Celeb of the Week: Braunwyn Windham-Burke

Braunwyn Windham-Burke continues to shine as one of reality TV’s most unapologetically sober voices. Since stepping into her recovery, she’s been using her platform to dismantle stigma, champion authenticity, and show that sobriety doesn’t dim the sparkle—it sharpens it. Whether she’s sharing her story on screen or speaking out on social, Braunwyn reminds us that sober living isn’t about missing out; it’s about finally showing up as your fullest self.

For anyone struggling, know that help is available: 📞 1-800-662-HELP (SAMHSA Helpline).

SPIRITUAL SUBSTANCE

Why Am I So Anxious After Quitting Drinking? (And What “The Bear” Teaches Us About Nervous System Healing) 

This is my third article about “The Bear.” Why? Because this show reveals volumes about addiction and mental health in such an approachable manner, I can't help myself. Let me go back in time to the walk-in freezer scene in Season 2 of “The Bear,” which lasts seven minutes. "Carmy" Berzatto, the brilliant but unraveling chef, is trapped — physically locked inside the industrial refrigerator, yes, but also trapped inside his own nervous system. His breath comes in short, desperate gasps. His hands shake. The walls close in. It is not just a panic attack; it is the culmination of years of suppressed trauma, relentless stress and a body that has finally said, "Enough." 

HAPPY EVERY HOUR

Canada's Proud Shift: How Upside Drinks Is Leading the World in Alcohol-Free Innovation 

Canada is quietly but boldly rewriting its relationship with alcohol, which is a story worth celebrating. At the forefront of this cultural shift stands Upside Drinks, a Montreal-based company that has achieved a remarkable milestone: offering the world's largest selection of alcohol-free beverages with over 2,500 carefully curated products. This achievement reflects a broader Canadian trend toward embracing sober curiosity and wellness, making space for diverse lifestyles that prioritize health, connection and authentic choice. 

#ADDTOCART

Sober Holiday Gift Guide by The Sober Curator

‘Tis the season to be sparkly, grounded, gloriously sober — and extra generous with gifts that bring joy, inspiration, and a little wink-wink personality.

Whether you’re shopping for your sober bestie, your newly curious cousin, your ride-or-die recovery buddy, or — let’s be honest — yourself (because WE deserve nice things), I’ve curated 25 of my absolute favorite gifts for the season.

#ADDTOCART

Where My Smoothie Lovers At? Meet the Silicone Trays That Changed My Life

Listen, I’ve been many things in my life—a media maven, a recovering perfectionist, a woman who will absolutely judge a book by its cover—but for the longest time, I was not someone who made good smoothies at home. I wanted to be. I tried to be. But every attempt turned into a mushy, melty, lumpy situation that made me wonder if smoothie sorcery was reserved only for people with a magical Vitamix aura and a CSA subscription. Honestly, I only have a kitchen because it came with the house. While I have many skills that pay the bills, meal prep is not one of them.

But then? I found Smootheeze silicone freezer trays—and suddenly, I am that smoothie girl.

SOBER CURATOR PODCAST

When Sobriety Needs a Room of Its Own: Inside NYC’s New Alcohol-Free Members Club

What if I built a place for people who are doing well? Not in crisis. Not in active withdrawal. Not in the wreckage stage. People who just… don’t drink. People who did Dry January and loved it. People who live in New York City and want to go out on a Friday and not stand in a bar clutching club soda like a prop. “That community is enormous,” he says. “And honestly, they need people more than we do — because we, in recovery, already have our crew.” 

That’s the seed for The Maze.