What Was Your Sober Turning Point?
Halfway through Dry January, I wanted to ask…
Since I know lots of people try out sobriety this time of year, I’d love to ask you a question…
What was the turning point in your decision to get sober?
We ask this in the My Sobriety Story series, so I’ve pulled from those responses below.
Whether you’re staying sober for Dry January… sober curious and looking for inspiration… sober but having a tough time and seeking encouragement… or feeling solid in your sobriety and wanting to pause, reflect, and connect—I hope you’ll find these responses reassuring, and a reminder that you’re not alone.
We’d love to hear from you, too. Whether your turning point was a rock-bottom moment… a series of rock-bottoms… a growing sense of internal unease… or a quiet knowing that emerged over time—what was it for you? Please share in the comments.
And if you’re sober and would like to contribute to the My Sobriety Story series, we’d love to have you. You can email me here for the questions and guidelines. We welcome and celebrate all paths to getting and staying alcohol free.
“The turning point came quietly: I woke up from my last blackout, sick and done, and I finally surrendered. It wasn’t dramatic, but it was final. I didn’t want to do this anymore.” —Marianna Portela
“People often ask me about ‘the lightning bolt moment.’ But for me, it wasn’t that. It was simply acknowledging and surrendering into a very real, very heartfelt pain—the full realization of all the time I had lost.” —Randal Lyons
“It was simple: when I drank, my mind was a more turbulent place to be. And I decided I didn’t want to spend even a moment longer there.” —maja roglić
“There was no rock-bottom moment, just a gradual, insidious creep towards a life that was not fulfilling, leading eventually to a realization that something needed to change. And that something was no more alcohol.” —Dr. Paul Chadwick
“I reached a point where I could clearly see two paths in front of me: one where I kept drinking, and one where I stopped. I realized I wanted the life where I stopped—the life where I could actually respect myself.” —Helena Shannon
“It’s cliché, I know, but I hit bottom. I had no more patience for hangovers, breakups, being broke all the time, getting in trouble at work, and lying to everyone I knew.” —Parker Gates
“I thought I’d been effective in hiding my alcoholic behavior from my family. I was wrong… When I discovered that the awful secret was out, and that my family and my business partners were willing to help me get well, I saw my chance.” —Dee Rambeau
“I think the part of me that could possibly learn to love me came online and whispered in my ear that we could do it together—or maybe that was God or a Higher Power of some sort, because I really don’t think I made the decision on my own.” —Kaitlyn Ramsay
“I was miserable and scared, and I was willing to do anything to stay sober.” —Jake Summers
“A marital indiscretion was my trapdoor into sobriety… Once I admitted how much I drank, I knew I’d have to stop.” —Elizabeth Jannuzzi
“My kids’ faces flashed in my brain. I asked myself, ‘Are you just gonna leave them with no father?’ That broke me.” — Shane Willbanks
“In December 2020, I looked in a mirror and saw my brother looking back at me. It was like he was warning me of the potential consequences of my drinking habit. I knew I had to take action.” —Carolyn Clark
“The turning point wasn’t some explosion. It was a whisper coming from within my soul telling me: You don’t have to keep living like this.” —Author Jeremy Evans
“Sobriety finally sank in as entirely my responsibility. I got it. I wanted it.” —Adam PT
“The first time I went to an AA meeting, I knew I was home. I had never seen so many people, especially men, openly sharing their feelings in one place. This was my tribe.” —Mid5 Coaching Scott Cameron
“I’d never attempted Dry January before, always telling myself I couldn’t, especially with a January birthday. But in 2023, I committed to one month alcohol-free, just to see how it felt and what life without alcohol could look like. That decision changed everything.” —The Glow Guide by Jen
What was your turning point in sobriety? Please share in the comments.
And before you go, would you take a second to tap that little heart? It lets others know there’s something helpful here and grows our sober community.
We know that sharing about recovery and sobriety can feel vulnerable. Like in recovery groups, we ask that commenters in this space refrain from giving unsolicited advice or spreading hate and division. Thank you for helping us foster a kind and inclusive community!
Dr. Dana Leigh Lyons, DTCM is a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine sharing heart-sourced guidance on body-mind-spirit wellness. She manages Sober App Substack alongside writing her own newsletter: PERFECT HUNGER™, feeding your hunger for a more beautiful, more nourishing life.
It's so interesting to see so many people talk about how the turning point isn't often loud and how it's always a personal choice in the end. Blessed to be surrounded by such a beautiful community.
I was whinging to a sober friend about feeling suicidal despair and he said “enjoy your shit.” I realized that my pain was not being relieved by alcohol but was being made worse by alcohol. I had to get sober to see clearly what was real and what was “my shit.” Sober since 1/3/91.