From Closet Drinking to Clear Mornings: Jess’s Raw Journey to Sobriety
What happens when you wake up in your closet and realize you can’t find your child’s tooth?
For Jess, that moment wasn’t just a hangover. It was a breaking point. A symbol of everything she had lost to alcohol—and what she stood to gain by getting sober.
In my latest episode of the Sobriety Uncensored Podcast, we sat down with Jess, a working mom of three who went from morning mimosas and bottomless brunches to living a grounded, grateful life in recovery. If you’ve ever questioned your drinking—especially while juggling parenthood, career stress, and the demands of daily life—her story will hit close to home.
🎧 Watch the full interview with Jess below:
Life Behind the Mask: The High-Functioning Illusion
Before sobriety, Jess was averaging 40 to 50 drinks a week. On paper, she was thriving—married, working a corporate job, raising three kids, and managing a full home. From the outside, everything looked polished.
But inside, she was unraveling.
“I had wine hidden in my desk drawers, tequila in the closet, and a calendar full of soccer games, school pickups, and business meetings. It looked functional. But I was emotionally gone.”
Like so many others, Jess justified her drinking because she hadn’t hit the stereotypical “bottom.” No DUI. No job loss. No public collapse. But behind closed doors, she was exhausted—physically, emotionally, spiritually.
The Tooth Fairy Incident That Changed Everything
It was January 22nd. Her youngest had just lost a tooth. Jess, excited to play tooth fairy one last time, celebrated with a few drinks.
And then blacked out.
She woke up the next morning on her closet floor. Cold. Disoriented. Confused.
“I couldn’t find his tooth. That crushed me. It should’ve been a sweet memory, and I couldn’t even remember it.”
That morning wasn’t rock bottom in the traditional sense—but it was enough. Enough shame. Enough anxiety. Enough hiding. Enough pretending.
The Physical Toll of Daily Drinking
Jess thought she was just sick. Shaking hands. Sweating. Irritable by 10 a.m. But she wasn’t sick—she was going through alcohol withdrawal.
When she asked her doctor for medication, he took one sniff and said something she wasn’t ready to hear:
“You smell like alcohol. I think you need to go to an AA meeting.”
That was the beginning.
Mom Guilt, Wine Culture, and the Pressure to Numb
Jess’s story taps into something millions of moms wrestle with—mommy wine culture.
Drinks at playdates. Wine in Yeti tumblers at soccer games. Mimosas over brunch. It’s all been normalized. Rewarded, even.
“I loved being a mom. But I was drowning. The drinking was constant. And so many of the moms around me were drinking too—it felt normal.”
The guilt creeps in quietly. Missed memories. Snapping at the kids. Shame at bedtime. And yet the cycle continues, fueled by stress and the belief that we’ve earned that drink.
From Denial to Daily Meetings: Building a Sober Routine
Jess started by attending an online AA meeting. She wasn’t ready for in-person. Wasn’t ready to fully admit what was happening. But that online community gave her the comfort, accountability, and structure she needed.
Now? Her mornings start with:
A virtual AA meeting
A gratitude list
Time with her kids, clear-headed and present
“Before, I needed alcohol in the morning. Now, I need my meeting. That’s my lifeline.”
The Friends Who Faded—and the Life That Grew
Sobriety revealed something Jess didn’t expect: her closest friendships were rooted in drinking.
Over time, invites slowed. Conversations drifted. The “mom squad” moved on.
“It wasn’t sudden. But I realized they weren’t reaching out anymore. And I wasn’t missing the wine nights—I was missing the connection I thought I had.”
Still, she doesn’t regret it. The relationships she’s formed since getting sober are deeper, more honest, and built on real connection—not alcohol.
Physical and Mental Transformation
Early in sobriety, Jess turned to sugar to manage her cravings. But eventually, she embraced a healthier lifestyle—completing the 75 Hard Challenge, dropping weight, and building mental resilience.
Now, her body feels better. Her sleep is deeper. Her energy is stronger. And even the small joys—like eating ice cream with her son—feel more meaningful.
“I never realized how much alcohol was robbing me of joy. Not just the big milestones, but the tiny, sweet moments that make life worth living.”
Facing the Root: Trauma, Healing, and Forgiveness
Jess also shared something deeper: a trauma from her teenage years that shaped her entire drinking pattern.
At 14, she was sexually assaulted by someone she trusted. She didn’t know how to cope, so she turned to alcohol to numb the pain.
“That night, I stole vodka from my parents and drank screwdrivers in my bedroom. I just didn’t want to feel anything.”
For years, she drank from that trauma. But through therapy, recovery, and a powerful forgiveness exercise (a 13-page letter she later burned), she began to heal.
Sober Parenting: Present, Not Perfect
One of Jess’s most emotional moments came when her oldest son said:
“You were there. But you weren’t.”
That truth cut deep. But today, Jess shows up. She apologizes when she loses her patience. She listens more. She laughs more. She’s not perfect—but she’s present.
“Sobriety gave me the pause. The space between feeling and reacting. That’s what makes me a better mom.”
You Don’t Need a Catastrophe to Quit
Jess’s story is powerful not because it ended in tragedy—but because she stopped before it did.
She didn’t crash a car. She didn’t get fired. She didn’t get arrested.
She just decided: This isn’t who I want to be anymore.
“If you’re asking yourself, ‘Am I drinking too much?’—you probably are. You don’t need to lose everything to want more.”
Final Takeaways
Here’s what Jess’s story teaches us:
You don’t need to hit a dramatic bottom to choose sobriety.
Alcohol doesn’t need to “ruin” your life before it starts stealing from it.
Motherhood and drinking are often tangled—but you can untangle them.
You’re not alone, and you don’t have to do this alone.
Ready to Take the First Step?
If Jess’s story resonated with you, you're not alone. Whether you're sober curious or ready to make a change, there are resources and support available.
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