Have you ever wondered whether your drinking is still “normal,” or whether alcohol is taking up more space in your life than you’d like to admit?
In this episode of One for the Road, Sober Dave is joined by bestselling author and grey area drinking expert Sarah Rusbatch for an honest conversation about women’s relationship with alcohol, mummy wine culture, moderation and the subtle ways drinking can become something we rely on.
Sarah shares how she appeared happy and successful on the outside while, internally, her anxiety was getting worse and alcohol was taking up more and more headspace. What began as a way to socialise and have fun gradually became wine at home, a reward at the end of the day and a way to switch off.
They explore why so many women don’t identify with traditional ideas of alcohol addiction, how one glass can quietly become two or three, the shame of repeatedly promising yourself you’ll drink less, and why grey area drinking can be so difficult to recognise.
Sarah also opens up about trying to moderate her drinking for years before eventually accepting two things that changed her life: she couldn’t moderate, and everything in her life was better when she didn’t drink.
Dave and Sarah also discuss mummy wine culture, alcohol marketing towards women, the 5 p.m. drinking trigger, alcohol and anxiety, sober friendships, relationships after quitting drinking, finding healthier ways to regulate stress, and learning to build a life where alcohol is no longer needed as the reward.
If you’ve ever thought, “I don’t have a drinking problem, but I know I want to drink less,” this episode is for you.
Sarah Rusbatch is the bestselling author of Beyond Booze and host of the Stronger, Bolder, Wiser podcast.
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