SoberStack™ Addiction Recovery & Sobriety Substacks
An annotated directory of Substack newsletters devoted to addiction recovery and sobriety by writers spanning diverse ages, focus areas, and paths of recovery.
Updated 24 April 2024: Find 118 Substacks focused on addiction recovery and sobriety below.
Hey. Dana here.
This annotated directory of Sober Substack—or SoberStack™, if you will—features publications devoted to addiction recovery and sobriety. Turns out, there are a lot of us! What you’ll find below is updated regularly and will continue to grow.
My hope is that folks landing on SoberStack™ will “see themselves” in here somewhere—finding voices that resonate, feeling less alone, expanding their sense of what’s possible.
A Beautiful, Diverse Community
Below, you’ll find writers of many different ages and with varying lengths of sobriety—from newly sober to decades of continuous sobriety and everywhere in between.
They also represent a wide range of backgrounds, beliefs, paths to recovery, sober-specific challenges, and areas of focus, including:
Non-AA recovery
AA-specific recovery
Spiritual, soulful, faith-based paths of recovery
Early sobriety and recovery
Long-term sobriety and recovery
Writing and creativity in sobriety
Dating, sex, relationships, and breakups in sobriety
Sobriety as a gay, queer, and/or non-binary person
Sobriety as a neurodivergent person
Getting sober in your 20s, 30s, or 40s
Staying sober in your 50s, 60s, or 70s
Sobriety in the Midwest
Sobriety in the Deep South
Sobriety on an isolated Scottish island
Parenting, homeschooling, and staying sober amidst mommy wine culture
Navigating mental health challenges sober
Addiction recovery in a wider sense than just alcohol and other drugs
And so much more!
I included publications that:
Are written by writers who consider themselves in recovery or recovering (Meaning, this isn’t a directory of folks writing about how to navigate other people’s addictions and recovery—even if those others are loved ones.)
Focus on addiction recovery and sobriety as a clearly defined niche (There’s a little wiggle room here—particularly if someone reached out to me, asked to be included, and considers themselves an active member of the recovery community but writes about other stuff too.)
Do not revolve around promoting an addiction treatment centre, program, or other professional services (Many that I’ve included do have regular Calls to Action but don’t read like one big sales pitch.)
Do not present their perspective on recovery as the only valid option or demonize other paths or a particular set of people
Do not promote or discuss drinking alcohol as a deliberate, intentional part of recovery (This is controversial, I know. I do believe in harm reduction, and I support each person in choosing their own path of recovery. But there are plenty of spaces to hang out with people who drink and talk about alcohol—including mindful drinking communities, etc. I’ve made an executive decision on this to support my personal recovery and other sober folks in this community. If you consider yourself “sober-ish” or a “mindful drinker,” you’re absolutely welcome at Sober Soulful. Same goes if you’re not sober at all. I just won’t be including your newsletter in this directory.)
Important note: I’m not endorsing the content of the publications below by putting them on this list. Even when I do subscribe, endorse, and head-over-heels adore a publication, I rarely agree with everything the author posts. I don’t expect my subscribers to agree with everything I post either!
It’s fine to disagree and natural to have differing opinions, beliefs, and understandings. The recovery space is vast and, like all spaces, comes with diversity and debates aplenty. I encourage you to poke around and find what resonates with you.
If your publication is below and I did not convey its essence accurately or made any errors, please accept my sincere apology and email me so that I can make amends: hello@danaleighlyons.com. (Also feel free to email just to say hi and introduce yourself.)
If you consider yourself in addiction recovery and your publication focuses on this niche, please tell us about it in the comments. Also shout out anyone I’ve missed or (kindly) review anyone included.
I update this directory every few weeks and keep it in the navigation bar so folks can find it with ease:
With that, here’s to SoberStack™! It’s a fantastic starting place for anyone who’s sober curious, newly sober, sober for decades, and anywhere in between.
Thank you. I appreciate you. I love you.
Dana
Aaron Emerson Recovery Newsletter:
is sober himself and works as the intake coordinator for a sober living program. Arron’s Substack features articles on his own recovery, stories from other people in recovery, and trends and recovery resources in Michigan.: is a writer and addiction counsellor from South Africa. Alongside (which you’ll also find below), she created Addict’s Digest as a place to feature young people in recovery. In Tendani’s words, head over to meet “a bunch of Gen Zs who I’ve grown to love with my entire heart.”: created AFF to “help dads overcome their addictions, prosper in recovery, and become better fathers.” Through raw, honest essays, he empowers dads “to get sober and stay sober while building a strong, healthy, and fulfilling life in recovery.” Sober parents are giving their kids a tremendous gift, and I love knowing there are people like Roscoe supporting them.: is a “former mental health nurse and recovering alcoholic” living in a small fishing village along the Pacific coast of Mexico. In her words: “I got sober in 2016 with the help of psychedelic plant medicines and other non-traditional healing modalities. Even though my background is in mental health nursing, I found little healing there during my own dark moments.” Gillian shares stories from her personal journey and her journey in supporting her father through his death from alcohol-induced cirrhosis. Her Substack spotlights how alcohol affects our health and mental health while also addressing how trauma and mental illness can fuel alcohol use disorder.: is a mother, writer, sober mentor, and soon-to-be sober coach based in Lewes, East Sussex. In Ellie’s words: “Here you’ll find my reflections on living an alcohol-free life, how I continue to build a loving relationship with myself and be there for myself through all the ups and downs of being a human being.” Her essays overflow with heart-sourced honesty, tenderness, and care.: Author explores the AA program of recovery through the lens of personal reflections and examples. I find Jamey’s discussion of AA as pertains to daily life and practice a reminder that many of us are having kindred experiences—even if we lean into different programs, texts, and frameworks.: shares essays at the intersection of recovery, spirituality, and culture—both as a practice of self-accountability, growth, and catharsis and as a channel for reaching, inspiring, and expanding others. A published science writer and researcher, S.J. is now venturing into trauma science, spirituality, psychology, and metaphysics. In their words: “I have long treated myself as a research project, diligently collecting data, formulating hypotheses and undergoing tests, both internally and externally. It is a striking challenge to remain objective when performing such analyses, but it is, in my opinion, possible and potentially necessary for the advancement of knowledge in subjects like consciousness and mental health.”: , sober since 2013, is a health and wellness copywriter with a background in standup and sketch comedy and penchant for horror movies. Back From the Dead “is for folks who want to take their mental health seriously, and at the same time, not take life too seriously.” It wins massive originality points for combining “practical advice on navigating life in recovery,” “thoughtful insights into the horror genre,” “really good, really specific mixtapes,” and “essays on getting your shit together after quitting drinking.”: is a singer-songwriter, record producer, trail runner, painter, maker, husband, father, and Buddhist in long-term recovery. In his words: “AA got me sober but Art and Spirituality saved my life… I have always felt some sort of higher power connecting through me when I let myself fully feel. And art is usually, almost always my conduit to those feelings.” Along with essays, Leeroy shares music, conversations, photos of his life in Canada, and heart-sourced blessings for peace and healing.: writers about “love, life, and the strength and potential of the human spirit. Her books have sold over 100,000 copies worldwide, and her work has been featured by the Sunday Times Magazine, Telstra Business Awards, Fast Company, Sydney Morning Herald, Huffington Post, The Australian, MindBodyGreen, Better Homes & Gardens USA, SBS Food, Good Health Magazine, Marie Claire Australia, and Elle Quebec.” Bex also shares about choosing to reenter the corporate world after a decade of running her own business: Sexy Sobriety.: Author and Sober Sexpert writes a dating, sex, and relationships advice column for the sober and sober curious life. It’s for anyone (sober or not) interested in “alcohol-free dating, relating, and hooking up while also unpacking the trope of liquid courage.”: is a queer, award-winning writer and freelance journalist based in Dublin. In Clare’s words: “I stopped drinking alcohol a few years ago because it made me feel shit. At the time, I was struggling to manage my mental health (primarily C-PTSD) and alcohol just messed with my body and brain too much. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.” In Beyond Survival, Clare is changing the conversation about after life after trauma.: is an entrepreneur, investor, and writer sharing about health, business, family, travel, and living in sobriety. Tim’s also working on a book and shares chapters in progress via public drive links embedded in posts. I was especially touched by this quote from Grandpa Richard: “Tim, you’re going to want your recovery to happen fast, but I hope you let it go slow. Slow is beautiful.” Yes. Yes, it is.: is an addict in recovery sharing essays, poems, and explorations from this side of sobriety. In his words: “February 11, 2020 was the last time I was revived by paramedics. I’m thankful to have made a full recovery from my last overdose but many don’t share that same luxury. My brother didn’t. Feb 15, 2020 my life changed drastically without warning. Over the course of grief, despair, highs and lows, sadness, mental health struggles, substance abuse struggles, generational trauma, and a beaten but not broken spirit, I wrote my first poem. That first poem turned into my first page and those writings lay the foundation of who I am developing into today.” My own sober birthday is February 11, 2020, so while I don’t know Charlie, I love that this date connects us.: is a writer, podcaster, and self-described “slacker and humorer” with “two years sober, many years weird.” I first connected with Christopher on Medium and was thrilled to rediscover his stellar writing on Substack. He writes about mental health, addiction, and parenting—sharing art in ways that open the mind and touch the heart.: invites “outcasts, ragamuffins, misfits, and anyone who is looking for hope in the grit” to join her in the downstairs church—the one where we can “share and celebrate our stories of recovery and resilience without judgment and without shame.” Caroline, who lives in Tennessee with her husband and twins, enjoys hiking in the mountains and cultivating her community’s local recovery ministry. She’s the author of Downstairs Church: Finding Hope in the Grit of Addiction and Trauma Recovery, has nearly 20 years in leadership within social work and ministry, and is currently the Membership and Outreach Manager for the Association of Recovery in Higher Education.: ClearLife arose out of ’s “exploration of what it means to ‘live clear’ or without dimmers that can interfere with an intentional, present, and embodied life.” Such “dimmers” include alcohol, but also other substances and behaviours. Cecily shares from what she’s named The Eight Awarenesses. In her words, these focus on “choice, self-awareness, healing, embodiment, and service.” They offer “a tool for anyone seeking to reframe a troubling relationship with any form of escapism” and embrace a “chosen sober” life.: is a confessional writer and the author of four memoirs (with a fifth in progress). Alongside exploring her emotions and how to express them, Clover writes about creativity, motherhood, imperfectionism, grief, sobriety, sex, and joy. In Clover’s words: “As a writer I need to write with a radical honesty, which is probably the reason I write memoir rather than novels, as what happens inside me, in my head, everyday in real life is weird and wild enough not to need fictionalising.”: is a family man, author, key note speaker, and sober Navy veteran. He writes about fatherhood, marriage, masculinity, sobriety, and a “Leave Me The Hell Alone political angle that is geared towards awareness and not anger.” : is a sober-focused mom and lawyer who “dreams of being a writer” (but she’s already a writer!). Her beautiful, powerful shares offer a safe, caring space for folks exploring their relationship with alcohol and other unhelpful patterns. They’re also infused with curiosity, possibility, discovery, and hope—reminding us of the everyday magic and miracles on this side of sobriety.: is a married mom of two boys who loves coffee, secluded hikes, and country music. In her words: “I live in a present-day ‘mommy-wine-culture’...smack dab in wine country and I’m doing it sober.” The Decidedly Dry newsletter and podcast cover sobriety, motherhood, homeschooling, books, and her “ever-growing God curious journey” and “love/hate relationship with running.” While Jess has stepped away from posting, you can still access her archive.: In ’s words: “Most of my essays tackle psychology, psychedelics, culture, work, spirituality, and the potential for transformative change through their integration. Some weeks, I share personal stories, drawing tales from overcoming a near-fatal addiction and being a recovering Silicon Valley bro. Who knew, they were twin pursuits.” : Peter (aka, Dented) shares his “raw and real journey towards growth and transformation”—including how, without booze, everything is easier. Along with his own story, he features a collection of uplifting, heart-touching stories and oral histories from others. : writes about “Buddhism, alcoholism, and growing up.” His Substack aligns with AA and the 12 steps but from a Buddhist (rather than Christian) perspective. : is a psychotherapist, life coach focused on well-being, and business owner located in Denver, Colorado. Drawing on more than a decade of professional practice, she delivers wisdom about “our collective condition of humanness to your inbox every Monday in a concise (or at least an attempt at concise), digestible, and joyful manner.” Alongside writing about mental health more generally, Kaitlyn shares personal insights from her life in sobriety.: is a licensed educator and creative facilitator, leader, trainer, writer, curriculum creator, project developer, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, and world traveler. And yet, even when her “work-hard-play-hard lifestyle” appeared to be working, she found she’d lost track of herself and what mattered. In Jamie’s words: “I had no idea who I was, what I wanted, what I was doing anymore, or why. On April 8, 2021, I began a journey of returning. A continuous unfolding of discovery and it began with getting sober.”: is a sober mom in her thirties sharing what’s working for her in recovery while connecting with kindred community. Head over for “outlandish ideas, followed by mindful and sometimes mindless banter,” as Kasey shares her inner workings and makes space for creative expression and connection.: is writer, recovery coach, wife, and mother living in Southampton, Pennsylvania. She “explores, dissects, and celebrates the strange wonder of living a sober life while still surrounded by a booze-drenched culture she was once so deeply caught up in that she couldn’t even see it.” : shares notes and essays on running, recovery, sobriety, and self-discovery. Drawing insights from marathon training, he offers clear, inspiring teachings about staying the course with recovery and making each day a practice in discipline and devotion.: is a sober, queer writer and yoga teacher whose work has appeared in a variety of literary journals, including So to Speak, Cosmic Double, and Calyx. In their words: “i believe in the power of words. i believe in the power of attention. i believe in radical honesty, and forgiveness. i believe that yoga and spiritual practices should be accessible and useful and integrated into fabric of our lives. i believe words and movement and movement and words can be combined in beautiful and transformative ways. i believe in connection and community. toward that end—i want to find ways share practices more widely.” Billie’s newsletter features powerful essays and poetry, as well as a gorgeous series of virtual practices focused on the yogic yamas—weaving in guided meditations, poetry, and teachings. : is a relentless optimist, mentor, and motivator as well as “mother to two men and a little lady.” In Tina’s words: “Many years ago a woman from Texas said: it takes someone who has been there to talk to someone who IS there. That resonated with me, and kept me sharing my story.” Tune in for heart-sourced essays and poems about substance abuse disorder, divorce, rebirth, self, spirit, and being of service.: , who’s been in recovery for more than 30 years, shares daily meditations full of honesty, accountability, and love. These short offerings read like prayers—acknowledging challenges, pulling towards hope, sourced from body-mind-spirit.: is in long-term, 12-Step recovery from an eating disorder and also sober from alcohol. She explores parenting teens with mental health challenges, having walked her daughter’s struggles with depression, anxiety, and an eating disorder—and continuing to walk that path as a woman in recovery. In Serena’s words: “I write from the intersection of 12 Step principles and spirituality through a Christian lens, although my desire is to make my Substack welcoming to anyone, the way a 12 Step room feels!”: quit drinking in 2016, stopped smoking in 2019, and has been blogging about sobriety since 2018. Benya’s essays draw from personal experiences in long-term recovery and sobriety. : In Mia’s words, head here for “musings from a teetotaling, silver-haired broad.” You’ll find the free Sober Glow newsletter as well as The Feel Good Studio, which lives behind the paywall and offers a robust suite of resources for making sobriety feel good. : is embraces “the belief every alcoholic should have an opportunity for freedom from alcohol and drugs” and invites readers to join a conversation about The Big Book and a 12-Step approach to living. By sharing tips, stories, insights, and inspiration on how to live a sober and happy life, Terry helps others in recovery feel more connected and less alone.: In the months leading up to my decision to quit alcohol as a “gray area drinker” without “a problem,” I binged ’s podcast (EDIT: Editing Our Drinking & Our Lives). Later, I was thrilled to find her on Substack and to see how she weaves together conversations on supportive eating, functional medicine, aging, and spirituality.: is a writer and a therapist working with women with opioid use disorder. In another life, she started a “dreamboat of a cake shop” and wrote a book about it. Her newsletter explores “the ways we become exiled” and “the ways we create belonging” through personal essays, links, recipes, and recommendations. Did I mention there’d be cake?: Hōan is a Soto Zen Buddhist Priest in the Phoenix Cloud lineage of Kobun Chino Otogawa Roshi and resident of O-An Zendo, a small Soto Zen Buddhist temple in central Pennsylvania. He shares personal reflections on Buddhist teachings and recent Dharma talks, along with his “ever-changing story as a Zen Priest in recovery.” Head over for the heart-touching cat pics; stay for his wise explorations of the 12 Steps through the lens of Zen Buddhist teachings.: Comedian writes and podcasts about his transition “from Alcoholic maniac to sober lunatic.” More than four years sober, he draws on “20 years of booze soaked mayhem” to encourage others while making them laugh.: is a writer, artist, radio producer, and host sharing about “recovery, Indigeneity, queer practices over theory, abolition, politics and movement spaces in the in-between.” I’m especially drawn to their exploration of the intersections of queer, Indigenous, and recovery identities as well as Indigenous perspectives on mental illness and mental health. In Media Rez offers a needed alternative to and reprieve from hegemonic narratives.Into the Woods with Brigit Anna McNeill:
is a writer, eco-psychotherapist, guide, botanist, forager, herbalist, naturalist, and mother “learning how to compost, transform and grow over and over again.” Her newsletter features “writings and explorations on being human, the nature that lives outside & inside, recovery and re-wilding the human psyche.” In Brigit’s words: “I have an obsession with nature and how it has helped me in my own journey of recovery and cptsd.”: is a writer, artist, mother, gypsy, and “Absolute Wackadoodle” who works as a non-alcoholic beverage consultant and holistic health and wellness coach. She shares news and updates from the non-alcoholic beverage industry plus personal musings on holistic health, mindset shifts, and more. For those who wish to go deeper, Jessa’s Memoirs series tells her story through the lens of clarity, forgiveness, and love.: , sober since 2011, aspires to “provide a safe space to plug into a community to connect with Jesus and other women rocking recovery.” In Jessica’s words: “It’s my vision to create what I needed and still need today. A safe space where you can be around others who get it, all while continuing to work recovery in a way that keeps us focused on Jesus.”: is a Midwesterner turned New Yorker writing about “life, gay stuff, spirituality, sobriety, and everything in between.” I especially appreciated Tim’s post celebrating two years sober and how expansive and connected life is on this side of sobriety. : Author writes and podcasts about being an Adult Child of an Alcoholic. For those unfamiliar, there are distinct ACA groups within AA. There’s also close overlap between folks who grew up surrounded by alcohol abuse and who are now in recovery (or struggling with addiction) themselves. While I did not follow an AA path of recovery, I attended some ACA meetings and found their Laundry List of traits very familiar. Many such traits and ways of being in the world are just as addictive as alcohol.: is an award-winning journalist, editor, and author who produces uplifting content for the biggest names in global publishing. Her newsletter features writing about her long-term sobriety, “all kinds of recovery, healing through storytelling, and the beauty of letting yourself start over and over and over again.”: has given up drinking, smoking, watching commercials, and sometimes sugar. She writes about getting sober while navigating a midlife crisis and parenting her adult child and herself. I was especially captivated by Julie’s Sober Bachelorette Party essay, which actually tells the tale of two bachelorettes—one while drinking, one while sober. That one will stay with me a while. It’s horrific and beautiful and I couldn’t stop reading. : offers space and inspiration for cultivating acceptance around tough things, including “childhood trauma, mental health challenges, and navigating neurodivergence in a neurotypical world.” Their newsletter includes essays, poetry, a spoken-word podcast featuring original music, and an entire section of music that Lizzy Co composed! In Lizzy Co’s words: “Come for the memoir, stay for the poetry and cat pics. If you have multiple tarot decks and just as many diagnoses, you’ll fit in just fine here.”: is an award-winning journalist and recovering addict who launched his Substack while in a treatment program and now continues from “the real world.” A Baltimore-based advocate of punk music and em dashes, Logan writes about addiction, the working class, and U.S. politics. : Love Sober’s co-founder shares her journey of living, learning, and creativity as a sober woman, mother, coach, and author. Her Substack helps readers “discover the joy of alcohol-free living,” with tips, tools, and an abundance of inspiration.: In my first months sober from alcohol, I devoured ’s beautiful, powerful book: We Are the Luckiest: The Surprising Magic of a Sober Life. She went on to write another bestseller, founded an international sobriety support community, and emerged as leading voice in today’s sober space. On Substack, Laura writes about addiction, recovery of all kinds, relationships, writing, and book publishing.: In 2016, after “a break up and what felt like the end of the world,” quit her corporate job and booked a one-way ticket to Australia. In her words: “I was great at running away from things when they got hard; but this act of fleeing led me to a destination I never could’ve expected.” Since then, Kaitlyn has gotten sober, travelled the world, learned astrology, embraced her artistic talents, and stepped into sharing her gifts with confidence and presence.THE MAIZE: I first connected with
on Medium, where she drew me in with her authentic, sometimes heart-wrenching shares with tons of real talk about the normalized, glorified toxin that is alcohol. I feel affinity with Michele as a fellow yogi. I also feel awed to the point of tears by how she shows up as a sober mom.: credits mindfulness for playing a pivotal role in her choice to get sober and her long-term sobriety. Along with enjoying vegan dishes and an abundance of yoga, she’s a guitarist and tattooist who shares beautiful, heart-sourced writing, illustrations, and reflections.: writes about “recovery, parenting, and...growing up.” Head over for “part creative writing awkwardness/part personal essay (still awkward)” along with resources that Stephanie found helpful on her non-AA path of recovery.: I found Messy Recovery while compiling this list and became a fast fan. Maki quit alcohol and drugs in September 2014; quit “unhealthy sex practices, sexual misconduct, and codependent love relationships shortly after”; and is “still ‘dancing’” with her relationship with food and coffee.” Everything I’ve read from Maki is abundant in mindfulness, consciousness, and wisdom. She also quotes some of my favourite poets and authors, including May Sarton.: has been sober since January 1, 2022 and offers a window into the early years of sobriety. She shares her experiences, offers support, and creates a safe space for others on a sober path. In Jane’s words: Let’s “laugh and cry and celebrate together.” : is a sober mom processing her past and stepping into her next version and expression. In her words: “this a place to put it all out there—the details about losing my shit but also finding my (new) flow at 41. I might talk shit about start-ups and motherhood while I’m at it.”: created this newsletter to break her silence on recovery and share strategies and insights from 10 years of sobriety. I especially appreciate Kate’s lists of Recovery Tools, which are full of resources and ideas for curating a sober tool kit and finding support and community. I also appreciate her nuanced discussion of recovery terminology (even or especially because we differ on a few things). Kate is helping me see certain aspects of the recovery space from new angles.: ’s niche is covering what early sobriety looks and feels like in real time. As the sober sphere grows (along with the number of seasoned “experts”), I love hearing from folks newer on the path. It makes me nostalgic for those scary, beautiful, magic, intensely alive early days.: shares her story as a woman “rediscovering who she is after years of addiction and dysfunction.” Several years clean and sober, Tendani navigates this new world “like a toddler, stumbling curiously and inquisitively” through a life with “so much to discover.” Tendani’s raw, honest way of showing up on the page has me hooked. : Sober since 2009,shares “essays and stories about living in the present; formed by experiences of the past and guided by hope for the future.” I love this line from Dee’s About page: “I’m still learning all over again every day. I promise no preaching—only revelations.” : is a lifelong outdoor athlete and a multi-lingual world traveler and adventure guide. In Bowen’s words: “I was also a teenage boozehound until just before I turned forty-eight, unhealthy, addicted and depressed, anxious, unsettled, lonely, dissatisfied and disconnected from a sense of identity, self, and direction. I was often plagued by a feeling that I didn’t know what to do, didn’t want to do ‘it’ alone, and I couldn’t imagine escaping the increasingly dark state of mind that I found myself in far too often.” In An Ordinary Disaster, he shares chapters from his serialized memoir as well as in-depth essays and interviews on addiction, depression, masculinity, adventure, and more. : Sober for more than 14 years, now shares about sobriety here on Substack in addition to offering 1:1 mentoring and working at The Luckiest Club. In Louise’s words: “Sobriety has been my greatest gift. Writing about it gives me a chance to continually pass on what I’m learning.”: is a “late diagnosed Autistic person” writing about “identity, masking, being sober, and navigating the world of ‘normal’ people” while trying to be himself. In addition to exploring his experience of autism, Sam writes about recovery, alcohol use, and eating disorders.: is a “faith-based father, husband, sibling, and friend. Part philosopher, part digital media pioneer long ago turned digital apostate, part entertainer, part nonfat dried milk.” He writes about the “default meta-addiction to all things media and all things digital” and offers ways out. Head over for a free-thinking perspective and focus on the pervasive, deeply destructive nature of digital addiction in our times.: is an addiction psychiatrist, Columbia University bioethicist, writer, and person in recovery. Seeking a way to make sense of addiction for himself, his family, and his patients, he wrote the bestselling book, The Urge: Our History of Addiction. In Carl’s words: “This Substack newsletter is an experiment in continuing that process of sense-making, learning, and sharing in a more direct way, with a focus on what addiction and recovery have to teach us about thriving and flourishing.”: offers an inclusive, resource-rich Substack featuring information and conversations on recovery-related topics. I’m all about this descriptor: “We ditch the dogma and foster a lively atmosphere where people in recovery can find their unique path to recovery, regardless of background or beliefs.”: ’s former online recovery program and bestselling book, Quit Like a Woman: The Radical Choice to Not Drink in a Culture Obsessed with Alcohol, played a pivotal role in my early sobriety. In her words: “I see the world through the lens of our collective and individual addictions, and the world—as we all know—is on fucking fire, and so it follows that I see the solution to all we are facing through the lens of a shared recovery. Whatever I publish here won’t necessarily be constrained to the subject, but recovery will be the thread that sews what I write together.”: James Ryan created this newsletter as a place to share ideas and practices that didn’t make it into his book by the same name or which emerged from his ongoing research into the connections between writing, healing, relationship, and spirituality. In James’s words: “Each month, I present a new way of writing—or a way of thinking about writing—that I hope will serve you in your ongoing recovery.”: is newly sober and shares honest, heart-sourced reflections, challenges, and questions from the early days of addiction recovery. I love that S. is on the ground, reporting from the trailhead of a new path and life-changing journey. They’re helping make it safe for others to do the same. Rooting for you, S.: is a “dedicated dog mom” in her fifties who enjoys “delicious food, self-reflection, quiet time & conversations, caring for animals, and the company of people who avoid the company of people.” In her words: “This newsletter is my survival testimony for fifty years of codependency, unaddressed childhood trauma, and believing that I didn’t have a right to have opinions. It’s also my accountability that’s going to make sure I keep posting the things that are difficult to say. There’s no shortage of difficult to say around here.” She writes for herself but also for others, offering a beacon of hope for those who feel hopeless.: is a writer and broadcaster from London. In Sam’s words: “I used to drink way too much and work way too hard. I am better now and learning to live a calm and happy life without going all weird and boring.” In addition to sharing advice, tips, and personal experiences on mental illness, addiction, recovery, anxiety, and “generally resetting your demons,” Sam hosts a weekly podcast in which he talks to other men about their struggles with addiction and mental illness.: A best-selling author and former heavyweight boxer with a degree in Physics, has been sober since 2013. He shares “insights, perspectives, and practices gained from a childhood in the hood, a mindset forged by boxing, and humility shaped from overcoming addiction.” In Ed’s words: “Now I teach people what I learned the hard way so they can live a better life themselves.” His about page alone is full of deep wisdom and stoic street smarts. : is a recovery and embodiment coach, nature connection guide, yoga and meditation teacher, writer, and mama. Esther advocates for defining our own path of recovery, creating a recovery life that works for us, and choosing empowerment over powerlessness. Her Substack is full of tips, strategies, and inspiration for anyone choosing to get sober and embarking on a joyous, abundant life in recovery. : Ron, of , draws on more than 50 years of recovery from alcohol addiction—sharing insights from his journey and outlining specific steps and teachings that worked for him. He also acknowledges that there’s “no one-size-fits-all path to recovery” and offers myriad ideas for applying and integrating supportive teachings and principles.: is a sober writer and poet sharing about love, life, death, sex, and relationships. She describes herself as an “anxious Big Feeler doing this human-ing thing sober” and writes in order to learn, grow, and heal.: is a best selling author, TEDx speaker, and mental health/sober living advocate. Her monthly-ish newsletter offers “tips, thoughts, ideas, complaints, and validation” from a middle-aged mom living alcohol free. To quote Samantha’s essay on how to tell if you have a drinking problem: “It wasn’t until I stopped that I realized how caught up I was in using alcohol to enhance my life. Again, scientifically, it does not do this. Sure, a buzz feels good at first, but alcohol dims your senses and disrupts almost every single bodily function. If we heard our friend who uses cocaine say ‘but nothing will be fun without it?’ We would say to them…. you have a problem. Drinking is no different.”: is a sober writer living in the Pacific Northwest with the love of her life and two rescue dogs. In her words: “The purpose of Samasta, (Sanskrit for ‘whole’) is to share the message of healing as far and wide as possible for everyone with an emphasis on those who’ve experienced any kind of trauma. I am uniquely qualified to undertake such an endeavor having walked this particular path personally. My experience is that deep healing occurs when the human/canine bond is formed through which we return to a state of wholeness in body, mind & spirit.” Expect heart-sourced stories and plenty of dog pics!: describes herself as “100% writer and 50% surfer, storyteller, dog mom, wife, and entrepreneur who revels in words, not numbers.” She writes about recovery in an expansive sense, shares heart-sourced poetry, and delves deep into “the process of healing the things below the surface.”: is a writer, coach, and recovery advocate located in San Francisco. She writes about recovery, creativity, community, and San Francisco and “prefers the margins over the middle every damn time.” In Dani’s words: Self Made “is a rebellious recovery community that empowers you to liberate yourself from societal programming and to step boldly into a life of your design.”: Drinking Games author got sober four days after her 28th birthday, “a decision that felt scary and impossible at the time.” Seltzer Rocks is the newsletter she wished existed when she was struggling with binge drinking and hangovers in her 20s. In Sarah’s words: “I was so curious about what a sober life really looked like, and Seltzer Rocks is a closer look at mine—relationships, identity, exploring new passions, and prioritizing self-care. I thought my life would be over when I first got sober, but it was actually just getting started!”: is a D&D player in early recovery from alcohol addiction and has one of the most original, creative angles I’ve seen in this space. I’m especially intrigued by the parallels Jan draws between “Session Zero” in D&D and figuring out (and building) new worlds in sobriety.: is a cook (and author of four cookbooks!), gardener, writer, editor, sometimes photographer, and former (and future) small farmer. Over at Sixburnersue, she writes about finding serenity in nature and navigating long-term sobriety with tools and lessons learned while growing flowers and food, cooking, and spending time outdoors on her island home in Martha’s Vineyard. Her tapestry of nature, creativity, and sobriety is pure delight!: the small bow is mostly written and edited by and always illustrated by Edith Zimmerman. They share essays, interviews, and delightful illustrations about long-term recovery. Expect: “Lots of stories with a huge heart that manages to be hilarious and easy while making you question everything you were certain of about yourself.” —Esquire: is a Los Angeles based writer and creative director reporting from the intersection of sobriety and culture. Describing getting sober as “the most punk rock thing I’ve ever done,” SDJ sets out to “spotlight sober people in creative industries crushing work and life and (hopefully) debunk the myth of the drunk creative genius once and for all.”: , from Northern England, quit drinking at age 40 and celebrated one year without alcohol in July 2023. In his words: “I turned 40 and thought bollocks to booze, something I did not believe was possible. I currently write about how that decision is working out.” Head over for honest reflections, encouragement, and inspiration.: Zac Gall is a writer, English teacher, and parent of four kids living in the Kansas City area. His newsletter sits at the intersection of writing, community, film, and sobriety. In Zac’s words: “Writing is an act of boldness, even daring, and like socializing at a party, many of us predisposed to introversion have reached for the assistance of alcohol to drum up the requisite courage.” The Sober Cinephile offers an alternative, fostering the sort of “clarity of thought and purpose” that many discover upon choosing sobriety and an expansive, creative, inspired life.: is a queer and sober essayist writing from Long Beach, California. She is obsessed with unearthing and unraveling life’s addictive feelings. Her work has also been featured in the The Gay and Lesbian Review. Here on Substack, I was especially captivated by Lindsey’s raw, resonant essay on relapse, love, and a sober breakup.: is “a somewhat functioning 29 year old with a manila A5 notebook plastered with colorful motivational quote stickers, the contents of which is basically my continuous stream of piping hot brain-dump personified. Golden nuggets and golden fuck its. The posts on this Substack will be my inner monologue but refinedish. I will write about being a sober millennial Londoner and everything in between (the nuance be nuancing).” I mean, I couldn’t not share that fabulous bio! Expect a real, raw, hard-to-put-down read.: is a sober wife and boy mom who lives on 40 acres in northern California. She writes about 12-Step recovery, her relationship with God, and how sobriety is connected to…everything. Jaime also offers thoughtful, helpful responses to questions she’s received since choosing sobriety at the end of 2021.: Doctor of Chinese Medicine and shamanic practitioner (who happens to be my partner) shares a holistic approach to escaping addictive cycles and finding long-term sobriety. My favourite feature on The Sober Shaman is Medicine wRites, a series that includes audios of Randy drumming while guiding shamanic writing exercises. Randy is coming up on 30 years sober and has been working in the field for more than two decades. : I’m , a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine and writer. Sober Soulful is a beautiful, diverse, 2,500+ member community. Subscribe for essays about recovery from all manner of addictions—whether to alcohol and other drugs, eating disorders, obsessive compulsive patterning, social media and online technologies, overwork and external validation, fucked-up relationships, etc. Also check out my AMA column, Early Sobriety series, Financial Sobriety series, Eating & Body series, and Hyper Online series.: offers a companion newsletter to Sober App, a free, downloadable app to “help you discover freedom through sober living.” Each week, you’ll find new essays by sober writers of diverse backgrounds sharing their stories, offering guidance, and cheering you on. I work as part of the Sober.com Substack team, so reach out if you’d like to be featured as a contributing writer!: is a Black woman, poet, writer, and “seeker of the sweetness of life.” Her raw, lyrical shares skip the pretence and go straight to the heart. One of my favourite parts about sober circles is when people show up fully, in all their humanness. SlimPickenss does exactly that—poetically and powerfully.: Each Sunday, shares a new poem or story in audio and text format. Sober Sundays is raw and honest. Obii’s voice is magic.: works in technology PR by day and helps run a sober non-profit in Chicago by night. In her words: “As a born & bred Midwesterner who loves a fancy dinner party, I was inspired by the Supper Club culture as the basis for this newsletter—a place to connect and swap stories among friends. The twist is that we’re focusing on sobriety and changing drinking culture, but enjoying ourselves while doing it.” I love how Kerry tackles (infuriating, harmful) trends, such as alcohol at “wellness” events and spiked versions of soft drinks. : writes about long-term sobriety and recovery, including as relates to parenting, relationships, and being yourself. In Amy’s words: “Emptying the cup was only the first step... The lessons never stop. It’s relentless in a way that I love most of the time.”: considers writing an essential part of his sobriety and began Sobering Thoughts one week after getting sober. Sam offers an open and honest perspective on sobriety, sharing about his own struggles and successes and what helps him stay on track—including health-conscious habits and fitness. A new dad, he also talks about healing trauma and navigating recovery and mental health challenges while parenting. : is the founder of Sober & Social—a hangover-free lifestyle brand and community that empowers and inspires hangover-free living. She’s a Transformational Life Coach and Addictive Behavioural Coach, has completed Recovery Coach training and alcohol assessment and brief intervention training, and is studying for a trauma-informed coaching qualification. You can read Emily on The Socializer and consider attending her live workshops and events!: is an upcycle designer and maker, photographer, former podcast host of The Unruffled, and writer sharing a serial memoir alongside expansive, insightful conversations about creativity, recovery, and midlife. Also look for podcast interviews and imagery of midlife women in recovery, Zoom meetings on the Enneagram, and other special surprises!: has the best tagline: “Sober writer. Addictive stories.” In The Spittoon, he shares non-fiction articles exploring addiction through his personal lens, original short stories, and posts featuring others and highlighting community. : is a writer, published author, and recent retiree after 30 years teaching adjudicated teens newly released from juvenile incarceration or expelled from continuation schools. With decades of sobriety and having recently recovered from a triple bypass and cancer treatment, Mark now shares his wisdom through his newsletter. In his words: “The truth of my sobriety is that I was only able to get my life on track by leaving Evangelicalism and the god of churchianity, and finding in A.A. a Higher Power that had the power and the willingness to help me. I found Evangelicalism’s towering ideas about God irrelevant to life on the ground. In the process, I was able to identify, reject, and discard the hierarchy, patriarchy, dogmatism, bigotry, and white-centricity so prevalent in the conservative church in America—and in my youth.” : is a published fiction author, journalist, teacher, podcaster, oral history facilitator, and leader of East Hampton Writer’s Collective, now known on Zoom as The Writers Collective Out East. In A Suitable Vessel, Kara is serializing parts of a double memoir featuring herself and her husband—a trans man she met in recovery and who died in 2020 at the start of lockdown. The memoir, told from both points of view, traverses the territory of recovery, transformation, and Dharma.: A self-described “recovering alcoholic on a Scottish island,” has been sober since finding AA in 2005 but came to see recovery as about more than booze. In his words: “The problems that plague all creators—creative blocks, self-doubt, low self-esteem, impostor syndrome—would all lead to my self-harming through means other than alcohol. I was destroying relationships through being unkind and selfish, bingeing TV shows, judging everyone, ignoring my family, and, the most harmful of all, sugar.” Over the past few years, Cam began taking inventory, embraced a growth mindset, and developed new, supportive habits and practices. I love seeing glimpses of his handwritten morning pages (and even hearing which pens he used!). His Substack also includes a podcast featuring: “Honest talk from a 1971-born Scotsman who got sober in 2005 and quit opioids in 2017. No holds barred—philosophy, spirituality, addiction, recovery, mental health, pressures of life, gratitude.”: is a novelist, essayist, and writing coach in long-term sobriety. In The Teachers Way, she shares powerfully rendered essays about growing up amidst the pain, violence, and heartbreak of addiction. She also shares her story of breaking free and choosing something different, in addition to essays about teaching, writing, parenting, culture, and “living with grace and humor.”: This is the work of (see above) and , self-described “addicts and alcoholics” who got sober though AA and working the 12 steps. My own experience with AA is limited, but I appreciate their take on the program: “We came to see that the Big Book and the Twelve Steps were really a series of prompts and questions that invited us to see ourselves and our place in the world differently. Working the Steps did way more than help us stop drinking, it transformed us and our lives.” : Writer and illustrator shares tender, personal reflections about life and food addiction through wise words and original art. I especially love her gentle reminders that we are not our addictions. They may be part of us, but, in Karen’s words: “We are always more interesting than our stickiest problems.” : Award-winning writer, mom, and marketing professional covers parenting, mental health, and sobriety. She’s a founding host of the Sober Mom Squad and an advocate for mothers who struggle with addiction. Not drinking is one of the most precious gifts a parent can offer a child. Heart-sourced gratitude for people like Celeste providing a healing, hopeful counterpoint to “Mommy Wine Culture.”: is a writer, wife, and mom to three kids. After relying on booze for more than two decades, she embarked on a life of sobriety in November 2020. She’s passionate about sharing her story in the hopes of inspiring others and offering a window into the joy and freedom of an alcohol-free lifestyle. In Kim’s words: “We recover out loud so others don’t have to suffer in silence.”: shares flash nonfiction micro-essays about “recovery, addiction, writing, healing, and learning how to human.” Paying subscribers can also access the series “God Is My Boyfriend.” In Valley’s words: “Ok, this is the Big Stuff. The original wound stuff. The always lurking beneath the surface stuff. Join me in recovery from sex + love addiction and my quest for the divine.”: Tori H. is a 30-something-year-old living in the Detroit metropolitan area and writing about recovery, addiction, mental health, and her struggles around discovering that she was donor-conceived. I especially like Tori’s monthly list of what’s working for her and her sobriety. She also shares cute pics of her rescue pup—a “doofusy, loving, drooly Pitbull mix named Scooby.” : steps away from black-and-white thinking to explore truth from different perspectives as relates to sobriety, motherhood, and womanhood. In addition to monthly posts, she offers a quarterly book club, mini podcast, and monthly Zoom “to chat about our month through the lens of writing, sobriety, motherhood, and highs and lows.”: is an x-ray technologist working at a rural hospital in a cowboy town. Her third book, Everything Is Broken and Completely Fine, came out in 2023 and explores her journey with mental illness, how she self-medicated with alcohol, and the toll of the pandemic. On Wildly alive, she writes about “mental health, relationships, sobriety, and becoming brave.”: Journalist, bestselling author, psychotherapist, and TEDx speaker shares heart-rendered wisdom on sober living, aging, and memoir writing. She worked at Maclean’s magazine for more than 25 years, is the author of Drink: The Intimate Relationship Between Women and Alcohol, and offers workshops on Writing Your Recovery. For my fellow writers and aspiring authors, hard recommend.: is the founder of Zero Proof Nation™ and has been “a booze-free babe since 2007.” Along with NA beverages, she loves karaoke, Elvis Presley, The Beatles, world travel, and nature. Zero Proof Nation™️ is a global hub for AF beverages and resources, featuring a map of AF establishments all over the world.
But that’s not all!
This is a growing collection—expect new entries every few weeks.
Meanwhile, please shout out your Substack or others in the comments. Also feel invited to drop in and say hello (even if your own recovery journey doesn’t involve writing about it on Substack or making it the primary focus of your publication).
With love,
Dana
I feel honored and humbled that Dana mentioned my publication in her newsletter. I look forward to connecting with others amongst the "SoberStack." If you are looking for quality newsletters regarding sobriety and recovery, I highly recommend taking a gander at some of these publications! I follow several of them already, and I can't get enough of them. Thank you again, Dana.
So honored, Dana! I'm going through and following the other folks on this list. It's so great to connect with other folks in the SoberStack (great word, btw!) space.