Alcohol is a ubiquitous part of our lives, often seen as a sign of belonging and a magic elixir. However, Holly Whitaker’s journey to sobriety revealed the insidious role alcohol plays in society, particularly in the lives of women.
She discovered that alcohol companies were targeting women, similar to the tobacco industry. Whitaker’s emerging feminism led her to recognise that traditional recovery systems are archaic, patriarchal, and ineffective for the unique needs of women and historically oppressed people.
She felt a calling to create a sober community with resources for those questioning their relationship with drinking. Her feminine-centric recovery program focuses on addressing the root causes of overindulgence and breaking the addiction cycle. Quit Like a Woman is a groundbreaking look at drinking culture and a roadmap to living our best lives without intoxication.
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About the Author
The CEO and founder of Tempest (previously Hip Sobriety) is Holly Whitaker. She developed a customised rehabilitation program in 2014 using a virtual platform that provides education, community, and support services, drawing on her years of expertise in the healthcare and technology sectors. She and her cat, Mary Katherine, reside in Brooklyn.
Review
A stunning story of one woman’s self-healing journey and an unapologetic analysis of the harm our drinking culture causes to women. Your connection with alcohol will be altered, and it has the capacity to alter your relationship with life in general. —Untamed by Glennon Doyle, the #1 New York Times bestselling author
“A humorous, brisk, and frank message from the world of the self-actualised, but Holly Whitaker is neither a polished example of self-help evangelism nor her memoir-manifesto offering a universally applicable solution.” Because of the complicated human nature of her tale, it is even more compelling that sobriety is a feminist problem. The author of Abandon Me and Whip Smart, Melissa Febos
We have a strange and frequently unhealthy connection with alcohol as a culture. Many individuals will find a healthier place thanks to this poignant and thought-provoking book. —Chasing the Scream and Lost Connections author Johann Hari
“Holly Whitaker is a genius: incredibly witty, bold, and hilarious.” —The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober author Catherine Gray
Whitaker is brave and innovative, and his book on building a life you don’t want to leave is incredibly readable. It is a must-read for anybody starting the journey of giving up alcohol since it is frank, funny, and enlightening. The author of Drink: The Intimate Relationship Between Women and Alcohol, Ann Dowsett Johnston
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Whitaker effectively uses compelling tales and well-researched insights to educate, liberate, and give genuine hope and realistic measures for anybody wishing to stop like a woman. Her study of women and alcohol is relevant, timely, and captivating. This Naked Mind: Control Alcohol, Find Freedom, Discover Happiness & Change Your Life author Annie Grace
“Unrepentant, raw, and vulnerable. These components are combined by Holly Whitaker to provide a novel and necessary viewpoint in addition to an enjoyable read. The Craving Mind: From Cigarettes to Smartphones to Love—Why We Get Hooked and How We Can Break Bad Habits was written by Jud Brewer, MD, PhD.
Following in the lines of books like Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis, Whitaker targets contemporary, urban women in her debut novel, particularly those who are worried that they may have an alcohol problem. This first-hand narrative, which combines self-help and recovery memoir, offers practical and motivational methods for recovering from addiction. —The Library Journal
“With this combination of autobiography and support for a life without alcohol, Whitaker… offers[s] inspiration to others in need of direction or permission to find their own paths.” List of books
Summary
Contemporary culture often portrays drinkers as either “normal, healthy” or “problem drinkers.” This binary assumes that moderate alcohol consumption doesn’t negatively impact health or life, but this is incorrect. Alcohol is poison, with ethanol being the principal ingredient in alcoholic beverages.
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Moderation can’t protect against alcohol’s poisonous effects, as even one glass of wine can disrupt sleep, increase anxiety, impair liver function, contribute to weight gain or loss, cause facial redness, compromise brain centres, disrupt endocrine systems, and kill healthy gut bacteria.
Women drinkers under 18 are eight times more likely to experience sexual assault than their peers, and those who do experience sexual assault are 50% more likely to binge drink. Drinking lowers defences, standards, and decision-making abilities, which are vital for women’s safety. The persistent marketing of wine and cocktails to women as glamorous, fun, or a mode of self-care is sinister.
There’s no such thing as a healthy drinker, and alcohol, even in moderation, can harm the body and brain, especially women. Instead of asking if you’re an alcoholic, consider if alcohol is holding you back from living the best version of your life.