Freely Sober: Rethinking Alcohol Through the Lens of Faith

Journalist Andersen (Reason to Return) issues an openhearted invitation for Christian women to reconsider their relationship with drinking. Tracing her own path to sobriety, she dispels the myth that alcoholism is a “man’s problem.” More than 12 million American women struggle with alcohol abuse, she notes, but are often pressured to hide it behind “Instagram-ready façades” of perfect domesticity. Meanwhile, retrograde ideas that women are the moral centers of society, as well as church environments that view alcoholism as a sign of weak faith, prevent them from seeking help. Framing drinking as a coping mechanism for uncomfortable emotions, she suggests more holistic interventions like leaning on close relationships, being honest with God through prayer, “healing childhood wounds,” and practicing self-compassion and forgiveness. Andersen offers important insights on how women’s relationships with alcohol are shifting as they grapple with increased pressures at home and work, and her approach wisely utilizes faith as a recovery tool without positioning it as a cure-all (“There is no formula, Bible verse, meeting, hour of prayer, or strength of faith that will perfectly pave your way to peace with alcohol”). Women of faith will be empowered. (Jan.)