MOVIE NIGHT

Movie Review: “A Million Little Pieces” (2019) – Addiction, Recovery and Why It Fell Flat

The movie kicks off with Mark Twain’s sly observation: “I’ve suffered a great deal of pain in my life, most of which never happened.” It’s a wink to the audience — and a jab at James Frey’s infamously “embellished” memoir — that sets the tone for what could’ve been a self-aware, gritty recovery drama. Instead, it’s more like buying sham weed: you’re waiting for the hit … but it never comes.

COMING OUT SOBER

Sober Pride: How a Group of Friends Is Redefining “Partying” Without Alcohol

Pride means different things to different people. For some, it’s a time to dance. For some, it’s a time to protest. When we think about Pride parties, oftentimes images of people getting together and drinking and partying till sunrise come to mind. Some people can handle their drinking and drugging, and some simply can’t or don’t want to partake.

According to a study by the National Institute of Health, up to one-third of gay men and two-thirds of lesbians admitted to having drinking problems. In the trans community, these figures are even higher.

SOBER EVENTS

BONUS BUZZ: The Inspiring Story Behind Soberfest Ohio with Chris Rice

At The Sober Curator, we’re always on the hunt for people and events breaking down the stigma around sobriety, and today, we’re thrilled to share a little more from our interview with Chris Rice, co-founder of Soberfest Ohio.

What started as a simple idea inside a treatment center — a grassroots gathering in a park with music, food and community — has now blossomed into a full-blown, family-friendly festival that’s celebrating its 13th year! Soberfest Ohio is proof that living sober not only doesn’t limit your fun — it can open up an entire new world of connection, music, laughter and support.

Soberfest Ohio is happening on Sunday, August 31!

HAPPY EVERY HOUR

Happy Every Hour: Three Spirit Blurred Vines Spark — A Euphoric, Functional, Wine-Inspired Alternative

Looking for a non-alcoholic sparkling sip that’s designed to uplift? Three Spirit Spark might be the revelation your social life — and your senses — have been waiting for. With its pink fizz and botanical brilliance, Spark completely redefines what a mindful party drink can feel and taste like. 

MOVIE NIGHT

“SHUFFLE”: Pulling Back the Curtain on the Dark Side of Addiction Treatment

At the heart of “SHUFFLE” is the “shuffle” itself — a process where clients are cycled through repetitive, ineffective treatment programs over and over again. On paper, it looks like standard rehab. In reality, it’s a form of insurance fraud capable of generating up to a million dollars a year per person in reimbursements.

This systemic exploitation becomes even more alarming when you realize there are more treatment centers in the U.S. than McDonald’s — over 15,000 private facilities compared to 13,637 golden arches. At first glance, this might sound like a positive statistic. But the reality is sobering: roughly 90% of people who need treatment either can’t access it or choose not to.

That means those 15,000+ facilities survive by serving only 10% of the market. How? Repeat business. Read that again. REPEAT BUSINESS. The economics of the industry favor relapse over recovery. Long-term sobriety represents lost profit. In a 50 billion-plus-a-year recovery industry, the money flows whether anyone actually gets sober or not.

CLASSY PROBLEMS

What is a Classy Problem? 

💡 What if your “problem” was actually proof you’re winning?

Dan T. Rogers calls them Classy Problems.
They’re not about survival — they’re about what comes after.

Think of them as: Problems with layers (like lasagna 🍝)
The opposite of crisis — a gift of time
A sign you’ve moved from surviving to contributing.

In a noisy, chaotic world, Classy Problems is your daily signal to locate yourself and shift your thinking.

#WEDORECOVER

Sober Celeb of the Week: Stephen King

The king of horror has been sober since the late 1980s after a family intervention. King once described early sobriety as feeling “evicted from life,” but today, it’s the foundation of his creativity. Proof that recovery doesn’t kill art — it fuels it.

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

SOBER RETREATS

Wild + Well: A luxury wellness retreat for women

Join us on a life-changing transformational journey with your new sober sisters. A soul-nourishing weekend in the heart of Arizona, created for women ready to embrace their authentic selves — wild, whole and well.

Hosted by Kristi Tanner and Michelle Smith, this luxury retreat invites you to rest, reflect and rise within a powerful community of women — all in an alcohol-free space designed to help you truly come home to yourself.

You’re craving a reset. Not just a weekend away — but a soul reset. Space to breathe. Time to reflect. A place to reconnect — with yourself and other women who get it. A space without needing to explain your choice not to drink.

SOBER POP CULTURE + DNA

The Sober Revolution: How DNA, Pop Culture, and a New Generation Are Rewriting America’s Relationship With Alcohol 

The numbers tell a story that Hollywood couldn’t script better: Only 54% of Americans now drink alcohol — the lowest figure since Gallup began tracking in 1939 [1]. For the first time in history, a majority of Americans (53%) believe that even moderate drinking is bad for your health [1]. This isn’t just a statistical blip; it’s a cultural earthquake that’s reshaping everything from TikTok feeds to boardroom conversations, from celebrity Instagram stories to the very DNA tests sitting in our medicine cabinets.

Welcome to the sober revolution, where Spider-Man’s Tom Holland (Founder of Bero) announces his sobriety journey to millions of followers, where #sobertok garners 46.8 million posts [2], and where the mocktail industry is projected to explode to $30 billion [3]. But here’s what makes this moment different from every other wellness trend: We’re not just changing what we drink. We’re discovering why our bodies respond the way they do, written in the very code of our existence.