Alcohol Awareness Month

April is Alcohol Awareness Month. Whether you're sober-curious or supporting someone on their journey, now is the time to start the conversation and embrace change together.

April is Alcohol Awareness Month, a time to shine a light on how alcohol affects our lives, relationships, and communities. If you’re on a sobriety journey like I am, you know that awareness is the first big shift. For me, it started with a quiet, uncomfortable question: Is alcohol helping me or hurting me?

I used to believe that as long as I was functioning: paying bills, going to work, showing up, I was fine. I wasn’t passed out on the sidewalk. I wasn’t missing major life events. But what I was doing was using alcohol to cope, to fit in, to take the edge off everything I didn’t want to feel. And that “functioning” version of myself? Deep down, I was struggling. It took time (and a lot of unlearning) for me to realize that alcohol wasn’t helping me thrive; it was keeping me stuck.

That’s why Alcohol Awareness Month matters. It’s not just for people with a diagnosis or those in recovery. It’s for anyone who’s ever questioned their drinking. This month is for those of us who’ve wondered if there might be more to life than hangovers, regret, and that nagging feeling that something’s off.

Awareness means realizing you’re not alone. Millions of people wrestle with their relationship with alcohol. Some are deep in addiction, others fall into the gray area, drinking more than they’d like but unsure if it “counts” as a problem. (Spoiler: if it’s hurting you, it counts.) It also means recognizing the cultural pressure to drink. From “mommy wine culture” to bottomless brunches, alcohol is treated like a lifestyle, but behind the memes and marketing, it’s okay to opt out. You’re not boring, broken, or missing out. You’re just choosing differently. And thankfully, there are so many paths to change. Whether you talk to a friend, join a support group, go to therapy, or simply start with a few alcohol-free days, you don’t have to do it all at once, and you definitely don’t have to do it alone. Sobriety isn’t about missing out or depriving yourself; it’s liberation. It’s about breaking free and choosing yourself over the mask, the act, the version of you that only shows up after a drink.

If you’re reading this and you’ve been thinking about cutting back, quitting, or just getting honest about your drinking, I see you. This month is the perfect time to explore what’s possible. You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need a little curiosity, a little honesty, and a whole lot of grace.

Here are a few places to start if you're ready to learn more, get support, or just feel a little less alone:

• This Naked Mind – Mindful, science-backed approach to changing your relationship with alcohol.

• Tempest Sobriety School (Now part of Monument) – Online recovery program with therapy and community support.

• The Luckiest Club – A warm, welcoming sober community.

• r/stopdrinking – Reddit's sobriety community with honest stories and support.

• AlcoholScreening.org – A quick, anonymous tool to assess your drinking.

  
  

However you're feeling this month, just know: you're allowed to grow. You're allowed to change your mind. And you're allowed to create a life you don’t need to numb.

If this post resonated with you, feel free to share it or drop a comment. I love connecting with others on this path.

Stay curious, stay kind to yourself, and keep going. 💛