Drew Barrymore summed up alcoholism perfectly. "I'll never be the cool girl at a party with a glass of wine. I'll want 3 bottles." The more people understand that alcoholism is a disease, the more people we can save. Kudos to Drew for staying healthy and sober. I'm sure it's not easy.
@@katdeluxy9608 IMO, if drinking is affecting your life, your relationships, your ability to work, and so on, then it's a problem. I am not you, but I would say that based on what you've shared, you are a self-aware person who understands boundaries. I would talk to a professional to get an expert opinion if you choose. Best wishes on your journey.
Oh wow. This sounds like my alcohol-free journey. Never thought I’d live without that destructive behavior but I did stop. I’m at 16 months sober and going strong.
I always drank a little here and ther but in 2011 my mom passed away and i drank pretty much every day for at least 10 years. Recently got married in june and quit alcohol. Didnt even drink on my wedding day. Feels very good to have control over my addictions.
I just love Drew. She’s authentic and is okay with letting people know her life is messy at times, and that enhances her beauty. She’s not about curating an image.
I have been sober for 26 years. There are only two things I can't do: I can't drink alcohol and I can't lift really heavy objects. And I'm great with that. :)
Great to hear... similar length of clean and sober life. We got lucky, many don't make it through... but without knowing you personally I can confidently say that both of us put in the work! God bless you...
I hit my bottom with alcoholism in 1996. I was 23 years old. That summer I read Drew's book Little Girl Lost and it definitely played a key role in me seeking help and getting sober. I am forever grateful for Drew sharing her own personal experiences and struggles that I could relate to and gather strength and inspiration from. I have been sober ever since - 26 years. Drew continues to inspire me with her realness and her drive and her accomplishments.
@@celestejacobs7386 Thank you! It wasn't easy, especially with all of my friends still drinking and wanting to party. But I am so grateful I gave myself the gift of sobriety which gave me a life worth living. 😊
It’s true but sometimes quiet ones judge while loud ones are enjoying life unapologetically. Goes both ways, I’ve been either one and both have their cons.
@@bobby_digital9493 that is very true. I will say at least the quiet negative folks STAY QUIET, lol. There is nothing more stressful to me than a negative extrovert.
I was a alcoholic for 30+ years I was in AA for 25 years I started very young alcohol nearly killed me I started at 8 a.m. and drank all day while working from home I would wake up at midnight or so trembling and a rapid heart rate I had to drink mouthwash to even myself out. It took a stroke to sober me up God did for me what I couldn’t do for myself! 🙏🙏🙌🏻🙌🏻
this... i never understood the stories they said about quiting alcohol. l used to drink and been my source of happiness before but it just went way because my drinking buddies and i separated. so i was not really addicted. i drank outside and never alone so the addiction part was not experienced perse. but your story of trembling? hmmm. this is close to my heart because my father used to drink since early puberty up til now. he is 60. im worried for him. we kind of accepted it as the norm. we cant say anything or contradict him because he gets verbally aggressive
So true. Seems pretty clear that she made peace with who she is, that her choice was drinking and frequently loosing control or not drinking at all, because she acknowledged "I'll never be the cool girl at a party with a glass of wine. I'll want 3 bottles.", and determined to adjust her behavior to stay in control. In a word Self-Mastery.
i think it's so important to talk about the different ways people stay sober. not everyone works a program or can throw themselves into AA, it's so important to highlight that there is not just one singular way to get sober from your addiction. i was an opiate addict for 10 years, i tried full abstinence and working a program but i could never stay clean for more than 6 months. i didn't want to be on another drug but finally i gave in and tried maintenance. i am now over 6 years sober from my drug of choice. i still smoke weed to manage my anxiety and other physical health issues. this is what i've found works for ME. find what works for you!
100% so true. I’ve tried giving up smoking, gambling and alcohol. All 3 went hand in hand to the point it was a major problem. I tried groups, meetings, therapy, books, everything. I decided I needed to be somewhere I couldn’t gamble for months to reset myself. Moved to Bali for 7 months. It worked, I’m now 2 months free of all and have finally lost the urge after 25 years. I’m a new person. But what worked for others didn’t work for me.
@@jillianpw9789 it's a general term for medical assisted treatment for drug addiction. it is usually in the form of suboxone or methadone for opiate addicts. it helps quell cravings and prevent the person from getting high on street opiates.
@@oztrace6016 absolutely. changing people, places and things is a large component to beating any addiction. you can't necessarily run away from your problems (geographical change they call it,) but sometimes removing yourself from the surrounding you used in, can be extremely helpful on being able to focus on the underlying issues. don't let the demons fool you tho, and don't become complacent. as much as i don't agree w/ a lot of things AA based, they have some solid information. theres a great saying that goes 'every day you are sober, your addiction is outside doing push ups waiting for that moment of weakness.' of course you can't go thru life waiting for the other shoe to drop BUT you can be aware of certain behaviors that may lead you back to that place. congrats on you, and keep on keepin on.
Crazy I just hit 4 years sober, 20 year severe alcoholic. Hospitalized many times , arrested, awful mean person. Had seizers trying to stop. I had no hope. I did psychedelic therapy and Im the person I knew I could be. Healing, myself and the others around me. My life has done a 180. Anyone out there struggling, don't loose hope. I promise it can change no matter how bad it is.
Almost 8 months alcohol free after drinking everyday for about 6 years. To some people alcohol is just a drink. To some people it’s a way to socialize. To some people it’s a way to enhance a moment. To me, it was a crutch. To me it was a means to cope. To me it was an escape. It was a poison. I’m glad to be rid of this stuff. Best choice I ever made.
Can relate. Happy for Drew. I love seeing people who rise from the ashes. Drew looks great! I am currently on the same path. 5 months sober. 30 years of mildly abusing alcohol with only risk and diminishing returns to offer. Time for a change at 50 years old. A sober life is a better life for those that are ready.
I LOVE her honesty and openness. I just recently kicked the habit, and it’s changed my whole life. I don’t feel like a slave anymore. It took 5 years, but I did it finally. My confidence is WAY higher now and I can even control my diet a lot better too because I know I’ve worked that muscle that says enough is enough.
I love the way she explained this. It really comes down to either mastering the toxic behavior or making the decision that you have to choose a separate road and stay on it.
i'm loving drew's second life as a media personality instead of just a movie actress. she should've done this sooner with her talk show and just sharing life experiences
@Drock yet shes provoked you. People normally ignore terrible things. You seem at least a bit flustered. Or is it vitally important that everyone knows you disagree with her 'takes'?lol
Im starting my journey today, longest I ever quit was 3 months. I’ve had over 300 blackouts and very destructive behavior. I blacked out last Sunday and am in the urge of losing something for once in my life so beautiful, it really hit me in a way I never been hit before and for once, I’m afraid to lose it.. I will be almost a week sober and I am promising myself this time, I have to sober up or else god is going to be done giving me my last chance.. 🙏🏼
Hope you are doing well. And where ever your at, i truly wish you happiness, joy and peace, and there is lots of hope and excitement towards all the possibilities that lay ahead x
@@sipzc-djwishing you the the very best, to actually be free and not trapped and enslaved by a substance. Wish I had the courage, and belief that I can get off painkillers, but I don’t have hope at the moment. And believe my destiny and fate is set. Anyway best wishes and I’m hoping your getting better x
I'll be three years sober in February. I relapsed over and over for 10 years. Don't give up. Keep quitting until you quit. Don't feel guilty for relapsing. Just keep quitting over and over. If I can do it, anyone on this planet can do it.
One of the most incredible persons alive .. I love Drew .. been a fan since ET and I'm so glad to know that she's in a good healthy sober positive place .. she deserves the stars and the moon !
I like Drew's approach, her own way. I too had alcohol issues that began to interfere with parts of my life I needed to handle and parts that brought me joy. I postponed the need-to-dos. I politely declined invitations to the other, because I preferred to stay home and drink. Because I drank at home, I became more alone. But I didn't care. I felt great. Then, I started having health issues and realized how isolated I'd become. I talked to a few friends who had experienced the same. One turned into a different person and almost yelled, "So what are you going to do?" Another said I needed to go to AA meetings EVERY DAY, like him. The first friend apparently got well in a tough love way. The other felt at home at his early morning meetings. EVERYBODY recommended AA, whether they knew anything about it or not. I tried a few meetings. Desperate, unsmiling people hanging on the best they could at AA meetings was depressing and not for me. When I told people AA was not for me, that it was depressing and felt like a religion, I got eye rolls and heads shaking, as if that was the only "cure." Well, like Drew, I found my own way, and I'm living a fairly normal life without alcohol. AA isn't the only way. There are other ways for other people. Good luck.
I’ve never heard a journey like mine so eloquently spoken. I haven’t had a drink in 15 years, don’t work a program and my thoughts on it are so similar to Drew. Thanks for sharing this!
The Rehab industry tell us scare stories about it being dangerous to quit alcohol well quel surprise its actually quite easy you dont need Rehab lies and AA i just quit alcohol when i saw what it actually is It's Pure ETHANOL witha bit of sugar added to it and it does nothing for anyone at all
Pleople are capable of change. Yes Drew! I'm 3 1/2 years alcohol free and it's the best thing I ever did. It changed my life so much that I became an alcohol freedom coach to help others. Thanks for being you Drew and sharing your truth!!
She perfectly nailed describing the tiresome weary path that takes you to that decision moment to finally put down the glass for good. And it is a calm quiet alone moment. And somber. It means walking away from a comfortable routine & some people who won't understand or accept what you're doing. But once you're free & sober you'll realize the losses weren't as serious or traumatic as you worried they'd be. The beauty & clarity of not being perpetually buzzed. 👍😜 (Cold turkey, 2016, & never looked back.)
I love and appreciate Drew’s spirit and character. I don’t drink anymore because it goes horribly; always. I had more than one trip to rehab and I am not completely sober nor do I work a program. I get what she is saying and she is near in my age and I can relate to her a lot.
I self medicated with alcohol for a while but I knew it was going to have to stop at some point. It's obviously not healthy. I stopped a few months ago. It has been a daily decision since then. Every day I feel like a drink. But I choose not to do it. It's hard. Somehow the process of driving to the shop to get a non-alcoholic beverage helps. It's like it tricks my brain into thinking I'm going the shop to buy alcohol, and the drive to the shop and back home gives me a distraction as well as time to think about it. Everyone finds their own unique way of quitting. Exercise is becoming my new outlet.
I just think my better self, my feel better in the morning not wasted time. Not embarrassed. It's worth the fight cause tge winnings are that much more in many many ways. Get drunk wasn't fun anymore for me.
We are all sold so hard on alcohol, but it’s a huge lie. I’m so happy for her. I’m there myself. I read Allen Carr’s Easyway to Control Alcohol, and it explained a lot. You can quit alcohol just like cigarettes and put it behind you. Annie Grace’s This Naked Mind follows the same philosophy.
Exactly ! Such a freedom letting go of the delusion I would somehow master my relationship with alcohol. I also am fine around it, having it on hand for friends, pouring it....just so happy I realised I just can't drink. 9 years on and I feel so free. The negativity I constantly felt about myself from my zero control and fighting to control to stopping to starting gradually only to be a mess. Do not miss that
Very well said Drew, probably one of the most authentic and real interviews I’ve seen of a celebrity.. ever. I also felt truth in a very wholesome way. So glad you overcame this and now can lead others to their freedom too. I would apply this to myself and food addiction.
I am so grateful for all the comments from people who have stopped drinking but don’t view themselves as alcoholics and don’t work a program. I feel kind of alone sometimes. If I’m not drinking because of problematic behaviors then shouldn’t I be in a program or shouldn’t I consider myself an alcoholic. No. I don’t have to if it’s working for me. 14 months sober as of yesterday. 💙💙💙
I watched the first 30 seconds of her speaking on her personal experience and all I can say is this is exactly how I feel. Alcohol for me was a test of my own will to behave under the influence and I continue to fail the test. I always fuck something up; whether it’s harming myself, hurting others or just destroying something in the mists of my current glimmer. My mindset towards it was I can control my behavior, “I can just have 1” but ends up consuming 4 bottles of wine (it’s now just wine and two shots of fire ball. Before it was a whole bottle of bird dog [whisky chocolate] and a jug of carlo rossi) and it was an out of my hands type of thing. I know deep down that it is a toxic thing that I will never control yet I find myself refusing to yield to the idea that, “life is boring if not under the influence. I can’t understand people, feel sympathy or even empathy if not under the influence. I can casually walk up to a person willingly and chat if not under the influence. And that’s my prison. And I’ve been held prisoner to my depression for literally Years. I’m 28, and I used alcohol as a form to release my aggression, show my emotions willingly, understand some situations. But as an adult, I’m learning it’s something that I became reliable on. And I’m not in the wrong to be stuck to the hip by something that is slowly destroying me & my relationships. It’s not an answer that I need to look towards. But I just enjoy having my bottles of wine after a week of work. I can thankfully say I don’t drink every single day (I HAVE DURING QUARANTINE. WASNT A DAY I WASNT DRUNK AS HELL) but now, I just drink after work since I have weekends off. It’s a mess and I’m just a mess. I wouldn’t say I’m an alcoholic nor am I looking to be “sober” for I’m not at that severe point, however, I do wish that I can find a way or a method that’ll allow me to not want to constantly have alcohol to make life look a little brighter or better. More tolerable and more fun. That’s my toxic prison I’m in. Hope someone read this and can relate. Sorry if it’s too long ♥︎
It definitely sounds like alcoholism from your description. Your body isn’t designed to handle that much alcohol chronically and there will be health effects, even irreversible damage to your body, so I hope you can stop drinking.
@@T_WC123 I would totally agree with you if I wasn’t stubborn and don’t wanna label myself as an alcoholic. Guess that’s the train ride to understanding that it could be just that. Tough to admit
I'm not much in to celebrities at all, but I have always liked Drew Barrymore. I'm so glad to hear that she is healthy and things are going well for her.
Alcohol can be like bull riding and getting thrown off of it. Your ego comes into play like "oh I got it this time". Wash, rinse, repeat. Some people are no match but ego makes them take another ride. Admitting that bull is gonna run you over like Johnny Knoxville is not easy.
I also don't drink alcohol... but am not sober. (That needs to be more accepted, alcohol is just another drug) Alcohol was not good for me and I'm glad I realised it. It's easy for me not to drink now because it made me feel awful. It's a hard no and it's 3 years now and no going back. I have ways of getting bent that I control and enjoy and it's suuuch a good life ◇♡ Power to ya Drew
Great job, Drew! Beating an addiction is very difficult. I lost my uncle to alcoholism back in July. Ever since, I've definitely became more aware of how bad it is. However, I know there is hope, despite what life brings.
Barrymore is so well spoken. But, then again, that's why she's the host of her own show now. I love how you see the serious intelligent side of her here. She doesn't need all the booze etc in order to be fun to be around, you just naturally want to be around her, for her.
Good for you Drew! That’s what the 20’s are for and then we grow as we look back on our mistakes. I admit that I led a similar type of lifestyle until I gave up alcohol at 35 and all my alcoholic friends left me.
100 percent agree with this and had the same battle and I knew one day I would just choose to let it go because it doesn't work for me either. It's been 3 years for me too and I happily choose not to drink because of the damage it has caused in the past for me. Yes, it made me feel like a prisoner also. I knew I would beat it one day and I did.
I want more Drew . .all the time...her talk show is great but this woman could get anyone to talk about anything that's deep and life-changing.....Go Miss Barrymore we all love you
Yes!!!!!!!!! Me too! 4 years for me on March 10 2023. Wow, we quit at the same time. One thing that I noticed was my eyes changed without alcohol, the lids of my eyes changed from a darker color to a better blood flow look, it’s a silvery look in my skin color, but for anyone, I think there is a health that comes back in someone’s eyes when they let go of alcohol.
I quit 2 years ago for the same reasons. I've never once regretted that choice. Coming from a long family history of alcohol addiction, I decided to care more about myself and break the cycle once and for all.
I have followed Drew since ET. Read and loved her autobiography, as well. I attempted to be a guest on her show. Went thru the protocol..but no response. I'm an award winning, acclaimed author. I'd love to be on her show. We love you, Drew!
Quit while you can. I have seen so many young people in AA that stopped young and are still sober in their 20's happy, healthy and leading wonderful lives. I'm 37 and have 9 days alcohol free again! My final time. As I wish I would have seen my problem at 17. Best of luck to you! Have a bright future ahead ☺️
I’m 68. Finally at the point where I figured it out. Kudos to you for your self insight. Knowing you have a problem is half the battle, figuring out why is the other half.
Thank you for your honesty about this situation and the cheating comment, as well. I have been looking for an answer to both and you summed it up beautifully!!! I have struggled to let my wine habit go (or ok let's just call it what it is, an addiction) for years. Things get tough in life and it has been my escape. I need to make myself a priority going forward and stop trying to drown how other people make me feel in endless bottles of wine. A hamster wheel for sure! Thank you Drew:)
I’m so glad that Drew was able to get sober from cocaine and alcohol. I love how positive she is now. I love her energy, her happy personality. THIS is why I idolise her. THIS is why I adore her.❤
The neglect this girl suffered early on was criminal. This was the crux of her issues. I love her, you could tell she's smart and kind. Her mother just didn't keep an eye on her.
This is exactly where I am right now and I gave up for 5 months and was hard changing my habits and friends not wanting to meet up because I wasn't drinking. Then I started up slowly but like Drew I'm not a one, Two or Three drinks I just want more and more. So I got to give it up or my forties will just a waste. Drew is such a lovely down to earth and natural woman
I got an OWI 3 years ago. It was the worst experience in my life but at the same time I'm so glad it happened. It saved my life. I had been drinking to black out almost every single day for 25 years. I've been sober for almost 3 years now and I'm so thankful to not feel like I have to drink to live anymore. It took a good year and a half to get to that point but I'm to the point now that I never want to go back.
I'm 67 and I quit weed after 4 decades! the last was 15 years with weed every day. I wouldn't go places out of the country where would IA get weed. My so-called friends were also weed heads...I lived two lives...finally this Christmas I just said enough, and I haven't missed it. I'm finding balance and I have my life back. Yes, I was sick of being that me. I like this new me 7.0. I am a good person. I do care about people'. I'm alive again. I feel resurrected... I gave up coffee too! because I liked the creamer with the sugar...I was addicted to creamer. I am also very aware of the sugars in my nutritional lifestyle. Thank you, God, for being with me and not giving up on me...Thank you Drew for sharing your story.
I haven’t had alcohol for 7 years. I was listening to Usher’s song “Numb” and he says “keep on doing the same old thing and you expecting change. Is that really insanity or just a losers game?” .. In that moment I knew I wanted to stop drinking. .. I put myself in therapy. I empathize with Drew.
Damn, this was quite insightful. As someone who's been drinking for 15 years (half of my life) I realize that things actually start going downhill. I also have an addictive personality and lose self-control once I start drinking. I've lost so much to it...
@@fortune. wtf does that mean? Multiple comments are mentioning she's sober on a video where she clarifies that she is NOT sober. People do need to practice listening more to what is said and not what they want to hear. Try not to look for things to be offended about. If you can.
The confident decision part is key...she got to a point where she knew she had to give it up. Then she went from there. Confidently decide enough is enough
i had n alcohol blackout , couldn't remember anything when i woke up, lost my cell phone,, was really embarrased as my neighbors were laughing when they saw me the next day, i never drank after that, been 16 years sober.
Amen! I gave up alcohol (which I never really drank much of anyway) about 6 years ago and I don't miss it one ounce! I got sick off one ounce and then just decided my body can't process it. It's not necessary to survive. Drew, you are a great role model.
I totally vibe with Drew’s method of handling addiction. I don’t really work a program cause it’s not for me. I’m sober of hard drugs for over 7 years but I still use anti anxiety meds because of my ocd. I use them properly but according to people I’m not sober sober but whatever I need it for my illness.
Drew Barrymore summed up alcoholism perfectly. "I'll never be the cool girl at a party with a glass of wine. I'll want 3 bottles." The more people understand that alcoholism is a disease, the more people we can save. Kudos to Drew for staying healthy and sober. I'm sure it's not easy.
Yes!
I'm so conflicted with labeling my drinking habits because in the one hand I don't drink everyday but when I do I drink so excessively.
Me too
@@katdeluxy9608 IMO, if drinking is affecting your life, your relationships, your ability to work, and so on, then it's a problem. I am not you, but I would say that based on what you've shared, you are a self-aware person who understands boundaries. I would talk to a professional to get an expert opinion if you choose. Best wishes on your journey.
@@katdeluxy9608 that might be called binge drinking?
Oh wow. This sounds like my alcohol-free journey. Never thought I’d live without that destructive behavior but I did stop. I’m at 16 months sober and going strong.
🌞🌞🌞
You go baby 🏆
Congratulations!! Keep going ❤
I’ve just passed the 500 days mark (also 16 months), and I’m so glad to be sober now.
@@Ah_Lee_Sun Congratulations! ⭐️⭐️⭐️
"Insecurity is loud, confidence is quiet." Awesome quote! I will certainly use that in conversations.
Insecurity can also be quiet insecure wallflowers who never speak up and want to blend into the back round and are people pleasers.
Thanks
@@brianwalsh1401 sounds like me 🤷♀️
@@nicholea Me too. I think a lot of people are like this.
@@brianwalsh1401 glad I'm not alone 😉
I always drank a little here and ther but in 2011 my mom passed away and i drank pretty much every day for at least 10 years. Recently got married in june and quit alcohol. Didnt even drink on my wedding day. Feels very good to have control over my addictions.
I just love Drew.
She’s authentic and is okay with letting people know her life is messy at times, and that enhances her beauty. She’s not about curating an image.
I have been sober for 26 years. There are only two things I can't do: I can't drink alcohol and I can't lift really heavy objects. And I'm great with that. :)
Congratulations Susan!!!! Sobriety needs to be celebrated...it's hard work and it's worth it
Why?
I like the way you worded that, tricks the mind into thinking its not so bad.
Great to hear... similar length of clean and sober life. We got lucky, many don't make it through... but without knowing you personally I can confidently say that both of us put in the work! God bless you...
How clever 🙄
I hit my bottom with alcoholism in 1996. I was 23 years old. That summer I read Drew's book Little Girl Lost and it definitely played a key role in me seeking help and getting sober. I am forever grateful for Drew sharing her own personal experiences and struggles that I could relate to and gather strength and inspiration from. I have been sober ever since - 26 years. Drew continues to inspire me with her realness and her drive and her accomplishments.
❤
You're lucky that you were able to quit so young. That's really amazing.
@@celestejacobs7386 Thank you! It wasn't easy, especially with all of my friends still drinking and wanting to party. But I am so grateful I gave myself the gift of sobriety which gave me a life worth living. 😊
"Insecurity is loud. Confidence is quiet."
It’s true but sometimes quiet ones judge while loud ones are enjoying life unapologetically. Goes both ways, I’ve been either one and both have their cons.
@@bobby_digital9493 that is very true. I will say at least the quiet negative folks STAY QUIET, lol. There is nothing more stressful to me than a negative extrovert.
I was a alcoholic for 30+ years I was in AA for 25 years I started very young alcohol nearly killed me I started at 8 a.m. and drank all day while working from home I would wake up at midnight or so trembling and a rapid heart rate I had to drink mouthwash to even myself out. It took a stroke to sober me up God did for me what I couldn’t do for myself! 🙏🙏🙌🏻🙌🏻
this... i never understood the stories they said about quiting alcohol. l used to drink and been my source of happiness before but it just went way because my drinking buddies and i separated.
so i was not really addicted. i drank outside and never alone so the addiction part was not experienced perse.
but your story of trembling? hmmm.
this is close to my heart because my father used to drink since early puberty up til now. he is 60.
im worried for him. we kind of accepted it as the norm. we cant say anything or contradict him because he gets verbally aggressive
Thank you for sharing your story. I pray you are well now.
I like Drews personality, shes so down to earth despite her being famous ever since she was a kid. I am happy for her that she has stayed sober.
So true. Seems pretty clear that she made peace with who she is, that her choice was drinking and frequently loosing control or not drinking at all, because she acknowledged "I'll never be the cool girl at a party with a glass of wine. I'll want 3 bottles.", and determined to adjust her behavior to stay in control. In a word Self-Mastery.
i think it's so important to talk about the different ways people stay sober. not everyone works a program or can throw themselves into AA, it's so important to highlight that there is not just one singular way to get sober from your addiction. i was an opiate addict for 10 years, i tried full abstinence and working a program but i could never stay clean for more than 6 months. i didn't want to be on another drug but finally i gave in and tried maintenance. i am now over 6 years sober from my drug of choice. i still smoke weed to manage my anxiety and other physical health issues. this is what i've found works for ME. find what works for you!
I went on maintenance in 2011. Best decision I’ve ever made
@@jamiezuzu7326 what is maintenance?
100% so true. I’ve tried giving up smoking, gambling and alcohol. All 3 went hand in hand to the point it was a major problem. I tried groups, meetings, therapy, books, everything. I decided I needed to be somewhere I couldn’t gamble for months to reset myself. Moved to Bali for 7 months. It worked, I’m now 2 months free of all and have finally lost the urge after 25 years. I’m a new person. But what worked for others didn’t work for me.
@@jillianpw9789 it's a general term for medical assisted treatment for drug addiction. it is usually in the form of suboxone or methadone for opiate addicts. it helps quell cravings and prevent the person from getting high on street opiates.
@@oztrace6016 absolutely. changing people, places and things is a large component to beating any addiction. you can't necessarily run away from your problems (geographical change they call it,) but sometimes removing yourself from the surrounding you used in, can be extremely helpful on being able to focus on the underlying issues. don't let the demons fool you tho, and don't become complacent. as much as i don't agree w/ a lot of things AA based, they have some solid information. theres a great saying that goes 'every day you are sober, your addiction is outside doing push ups waiting for that moment of weakness.' of course you can't go thru life waiting for the other shoe to drop BUT you can be aware of certain behaviors that may lead you back to that place. congrats on you, and keep on keepin on.
Crazy I just hit 4 years sober, 20 year severe alcoholic. Hospitalized many times , arrested, awful mean person. Had seizers trying to stop. I had no hope. I did psychedelic therapy and Im the person I knew I could be. Healing, myself and the others around me. My life has done a 180. Anyone out there struggling, don't loose hope. I promise it can change no matter how bad it is.
where did you go for psychedelic therapy ?
How?
Almost 8 months alcohol free after drinking everyday for about 6 years. To some people alcohol is just a drink. To some people it’s a way to socialize. To some people it’s a way to enhance a moment. To me, it was a crutch. To me it was a means to cope. To me it was an escape. It was a poison. I’m glad to be rid of this stuff. Best choice I ever made.
Congratulations 🎉 have 9 days today! Can't wait to get back to 8 months again. One day at a time though 😉
@Nichole Adams I’m literally going to pray for you right now. You’ve got this.
@@nicholea hope everything is still going well for you. I have over 9 months now and I have no plan on turning back.
Good job.
For me it's enhancing the moment
Can relate. Happy for Drew. I love seeing people who rise from the ashes. Drew looks great! I am currently on the same path. 5 months sober. 30 years of mildly abusing alcohol with only risk and diminishing returns to offer. Time for a change at 50 years old. A sober life is a better life for those that are ready.
I LOVE her honesty and openness. I just recently kicked the habit, and it’s changed my whole life. I don’t feel like a slave anymore. It took 5 years, but I did it finally. My confidence is WAY higher now and I can even control my diet a lot better too because I know I’ve worked that muscle that says enough is enough.
I love the way she explained this. It really comes down to either mastering the toxic behavior or making the decision that you have to choose a separate road and stay on it.
i'm loving drew's second life as a media personality instead of just a movie actress. she should've done this sooner with her talk show and just sharing life experiences
@Drock yet shes provoked you. People normally ignore terrible things. You seem at least a bit flustered. Or is it vitally important that everyone knows you disagree with her 'takes'?lol
@Drock such as?
Her show does suck
Im starting my journey today, longest I ever quit was 3 months. I’ve had over 300 blackouts and very destructive behavior. I blacked out last Sunday and am in the urge of losing something for once in my life so beautiful, it really hit me in a way I never been hit before and for once, I’m afraid to lose it.. I will be almost a week sober and I am promising myself this time, I have to sober up or else god is going to be done giving me my last chance.. 🙏🏼
I started 5 days ago ❤️🩹
Hope you are doing well. And where ever your at, i truly wish you happiness, joy and peace, and there is lots of hope and excitement towards all the possibilities that lay ahead x
@@sipzc-djwishing you the the very best, to actually be free and not trapped and enslaved by a substance.
Wish I had the courage, and belief that I can get off painkillers, but I don’t have hope at the moment. And believe my destiny and fate is set.
Anyway best wishes and I’m hoping your getting better x
YOU CAN DO IT FRIEND!!!! love u
Drew rocks She’s so honest and true to her heart she’s a sweetheart
I'll be three years sober in February. I relapsed over and over for 10 years. Don't give up. Keep quitting until you quit. Don't feel guilty for relapsing. Just keep quitting over and over. If I can do it, anyone on this planet can do it.
That is amazing advice. "Keep quitting" is such a great way to put it.
This is awesome ❤️❤️❤️.
Thanks for your message. This is a hope message for me. Love from France 🥰
Drew's so lovely both on the inside and outside. And she doesn't get enough credit for how smart she it.
Johnny Carson and Meghan Trainor gave her credit for that, so I guess that makes two.
Drew, you are just THE BEST WOMAN EVER!!!! I love you!!
One of the most incredible persons alive .. I love Drew .. been a fan since ET and I'm so glad to know that she's in a good healthy sober positive place .. she deserves the stars and the moon !
I like Drew's approach, her own way.
I too had alcohol issues that began to interfere with parts of my life I needed to handle and parts that brought me joy. I postponed the need-to-dos. I politely declined invitations to the other, because I preferred to stay home and drink. Because I drank at home, I became more alone. But I didn't care. I felt great.
Then, I started having health issues and realized how isolated I'd become. I talked to a few friends who had experienced the same. One turned into a different person and almost yelled, "So what are you going to do?" Another said I needed to go to AA meetings EVERY DAY, like him.
The first friend apparently got well in a tough love way. The other felt at home at his early morning meetings. EVERYBODY recommended AA, whether they knew anything about it or not. I tried a few meetings. Desperate, unsmiling people hanging on the best they could at AA meetings was depressing and not for me.
When I told people AA was not for me, that it was depressing and felt like a religion, I got eye rolls and heads shaking, as if that was the only "cure."
Well, like Drew, I found my own way, and I'm living a fairly normal life without alcohol.
AA isn't the only way. There are other ways for other people. Good luck.
Addictive personalities replace one addiction for another. So alcohol gets replaced by AA, that's why some are so militant about it. Makes sense.
What did you do?
I’ve never heard a journey like mine so eloquently spoken. I haven’t had a drink in 15 years, don’t work a program and my thoughts on it are so similar to Drew. Thanks for sharing this!
The Rehab industry tell us scare stories about it being dangerous to quit alcohol well quel surprise its actually quite easy you dont need Rehab lies and AA i just quit alcohol when i saw what it actually is It's Pure ETHANOL witha bit of sugar added to it and it does nothing for anyone at all
Pleople are capable of change. Yes Drew! I'm 3 1/2 years alcohol free and it's the best thing I ever did. It changed my life so much that I became an alcohol freedom coach to help others. Thanks for being you Drew and sharing your truth!!
This was one of her best interviews imo. Such a good mom energy
She perfectly nailed describing the tiresome weary path that takes you to that decision moment to finally put down the glass for good. And it is a calm quiet alone moment. And somber. It means walking away from a comfortable routine & some people who won't understand or accept what you're doing. But once you're free & sober you'll realize the losses weren't as serious or traumatic as you worried they'd be. The beauty & clarity of not being perpetually buzzed. 👍😜 (Cold turkey, 2016, & never looked back.)
beautifully put
@@ruairi_ Thank you... ☺️🧡
I love and appreciate Drew’s spirit and character. I don’t drink anymore because it goes horribly; always. I had more than one trip to rehab and I am not completely sober nor do I work a program. I get what she is saying and she is near in my age and I can relate to her a lot.
I self medicated with alcohol for a while but I knew it was going to have to stop at some point. It's obviously not healthy. I stopped a few months ago. It has been a daily decision since then. Every day I feel like a drink. But I choose not to do it. It's hard. Somehow the process of driving to the shop to get a non-alcoholic beverage helps. It's like it tricks my brain into thinking I'm going the shop to buy alcohol, and the drive to the shop and back home gives me a distraction as well as time to think about it. Everyone finds their own unique way of quitting. Exercise is becoming my new outlet.
Hard during the holidays
I just think my better self, my feel better in the morning not wasted time. Not embarrassed. It's worth the fight cause tge winnings are that much more in many many ways. Get drunk wasn't fun anymore for me.
Same!
I'm so proud of her, she's done a lot of growing up 💕💕
We are all sold so hard on alcohol, but it’s a huge lie. I’m so happy for her. I’m there myself. I read Allen Carr’s Easyway to Control Alcohol, and it explained a lot. You can quit alcohol just like cigarettes and put it behind you. Annie Grace’s This Naked Mind follows the same philosophy.
That was a great book. So true. I’m almost 2 years sober
Thank you for the book recommendation!
I managed to pack in smoking but escaping the poison in a fancy bottle is proving quite hard :(
Exactly ! Such a freedom letting go of the delusion I would somehow master my relationship with alcohol. I also am fine around it, having it on hand for friends, pouring it....just so happy I realised I just can't drink. 9 years on and I feel so free. The negativity I constantly felt about myself from my zero control and fighting to control to stopping to starting gradually only to be a mess. Do not miss that
Very well said Drew, probably one of the most authentic and real interviews I’ve seen of a celebrity.. ever. I also felt truth in a very wholesome way. So glad you overcame this and now can lead others to their freedom too. I would apply this to myself and food addiction.
I am so grateful for all the comments from people who have stopped drinking but don’t view themselves as alcoholics and don’t work a program. I feel kind of alone sometimes. If I’m not drinking because of problematic behaviors then shouldn’t I be in a program or shouldn’t I consider myself an alcoholic. No. I don’t have to if it’s working for me. 14 months sober as of yesterday. 💙💙💙
I watched the first 30 seconds of her speaking on her personal experience and all I can say is this is exactly how I feel. Alcohol for me was a test of my own will to behave under the influence and I continue to fail the test. I always fuck something up; whether it’s harming myself, hurting others or just destroying something in the mists of my current glimmer. My mindset towards it was I can control my behavior, “I can just have 1” but ends up consuming 4 bottles of wine (it’s now just wine and two shots of fire ball. Before it was a whole bottle of bird dog [whisky chocolate] and a jug of carlo rossi) and it was an out of my hands type of thing. I know deep down that it is a toxic thing that I will never control yet I find myself refusing to yield to the idea that, “life is boring if not under the influence. I can’t understand people, feel sympathy or even empathy if not under the influence. I can casually walk up to a person willingly and chat if not under the influence. And that’s my prison. And I’ve been held prisoner to my depression for literally Years. I’m 28, and I used alcohol as a form to release my aggression, show my emotions willingly, understand some situations. But as an adult, I’m learning it’s something that I became reliable on. And I’m not in the wrong to be stuck to the hip by something that is slowly destroying me & my relationships. It’s not an answer that I need to look towards. But I just enjoy having my bottles of wine after a week of work. I can thankfully say I don’t drink every single day (I HAVE DURING QUARANTINE. WASNT A DAY I WASNT DRUNK AS HELL) but now, I just drink after work since I have weekends off. It’s a mess and I’m just a mess. I wouldn’t say I’m an alcoholic nor am I looking to be “sober” for I’m not at that severe point, however, I do wish that I can find a way or a method that’ll allow me to not want to constantly have alcohol to make life look a little brighter or better. More tolerable and more fun. That’s my toxic prison I’m in. Hope someone read this and can relate. Sorry if it’s too long ♥︎
It definitely sounds like alcoholism from your description. Your body isn’t designed to handle that much alcohol chronically and there will be health effects, even irreversible damage to your body, so I hope you can stop drinking.
@@T_WC123 💯
You hit it on the head for me. Thank you for sharing!
@@T_WC123 I would totally agree with you if I wasn’t stubborn and don’t wanna label myself as an alcoholic. Guess that’s the train ride to understanding that it could be just that. Tough to admit
@@SaxonBloom of course. If I can speak the words for another person rather than speak of themselves and they relate, I love nothing more
I'm not much in to celebrities at all, but I have always liked Drew Barrymore. I'm so glad to hear that she is healthy and things are going well for her.
Alcohol can be like bull riding and getting thrown off of it. Your ego comes into play like "oh I got it this time". Wash, rinse, repeat. Some people are no match but ego makes them take another ride. Admitting that bull is gonna run you over like Johnny Knoxville is not easy.
I love this! She put into words how I'm feeling. I just started a program yesterday and hearing this is like a hug. Thank you!
Drew is a prime example that Cute stays cute while aging. Love her energy.
She has aged so well beautiful
Love that❤
NOT
Plastic surgery much?
Fix those bottom teeth and shes a 10!
Drew is looking so much better. She has matured well. Live long and prosper.
I also don't drink alcohol... but am not sober. (That needs to be more accepted, alcohol is just another drug)
Alcohol was not good for me and I'm glad I realised it. It's easy for me not to drink now because it made me feel awful. It's a hard no and it's 3 years now and no going back.
I have ways of getting bent that I control and enjoy and it's suuuch a good life ◇♡
Power to ya Drew
Great job, Drew! Beating an addiction is very difficult. I lost my uncle to alcoholism back in July. Ever since, I've definitely became more aware of how bad it is. However, I know there is hope, despite what life brings.
Happy to see her doing well. I'm not an alcoholic, but I quit 6 years ago. It just wasn't serving me, and led to poor decision making.
Yes same for me 😊
Straight honest ,well done , perfect Sense .
So glad she made it! she’s a legend and the sweetest it seems
Barrymore is so well spoken. But, then again, that's why she's the host of her own show now.
I love how you see the serious intelligent side of her here.
She doesn't need all the booze etc in order to be fun to be around, you just naturally want to be around her, for her.
Good for you Drew! That’s what the 20’s are for and then we grow as we look back on our mistakes.
I admit that I led a similar type of lifestyle until I gave up alcohol at 35 and all my alcoholic friends left me.
The conversation that I needed to hear on many levels.
100 percent agree with this and had the same battle and I knew one day I would just choose to let it go because it doesn't work for me either. It's been 3 years for me too and I happily choose not to drink because of the damage it has caused in the past for me. Yes, it made me feel like a prisoner also. I knew I would beat it one day and I did.
“Just do it and shut up about it”- perfection!✌🏻
Love her and her reinvention and how that brings her voice to us! Thank you, Drew!
I want more Drew . .all the time...her talk show is great but this woman could get anyone to talk about anything that's deep and life-changing.....Go Miss Barrymore we all love you
Yes!!!!!!!!! Me too! 4 years for me on March 10 2023. Wow, we quit at the same time. One thing that I noticed was my eyes changed without alcohol, the lids of my eyes changed from a darker color to a better blood flow look, it’s a silvery look in my skin color, but for anyone, I think there is a health that comes back in someone’s eyes when they let go of alcohol.
Hello how are you doing?
Drew makes complete sense here and what she says is accurate. I am so glad I listened to this podcast. 💙
I quit 2 years ago for the same reasons.
I've never once regretted that choice.
Coming from a long family history of alcohol addiction, I decided to care more about myself and break the cycle once and for all.
Hello 👋how are you doing?
I have followed Drew since ET. Read and loved her autobiography, as well. I attempted to be a guest on her show. Went thru the protocol..but no response. I'm an award winning, acclaimed author. I'd love to be on her show. We love you, Drew!
Random flex in YT comments section
I'm an award winning award winner, so there. Neener neener neener.
@B Ulrich I looked her up - it's basically just self-pub Amazon self-help, so really it's not difficult to aim higher at all lol
I appreciate her openness with talking about alcohol, I’m 17 not even out of high school and deal with alcoholism. It’s nice to know others understand
Quit while you can. I have seen so many young people in AA that stopped young and are still sober in their 20's happy, healthy and leading wonderful lives. I'm 37 and have 9 days alcohol free again! My final time. As I wish I would have seen my problem at 17. Best of luck to you! Have a bright future ahead ☺️
I’m 68. Finally at the point where I figured it out. Kudos to you for your self insight. Knowing you have a problem is half the battle, figuring out why is the other half.
I think Drew was only 13 when she forced into rehab. She was drinking since the age of 7. Thanks to her mother allowing her to attend adult parties.
This was a phenomenal listen!
Thank you for your honesty about this situation and the cheating comment, as well. I have been looking for an answer to both and you summed it up beautifully!!! I have struggled to let my wine habit go (or ok let's just call it what it is, an addiction) for years. Things get tough in life and it has been my escape. I need to make myself a priority going forward and stop trying to drown how other people make me feel in endless bottles of wine. A hamster wheel for sure! Thank you Drew:)
I’m so glad that Drew was able to get sober from cocaine and alcohol. I love how positive she is now. I love her energy, her happy personality. THIS is why I idolise her. THIS is why I adore her.❤
The neglect this girl suffered early on was criminal. This was the crux of her issues. I love her, you could tell she's smart and kind. Her mother just didn't keep an eye on her.
This is exactly where I am right now and I gave up for 5 months and was hard changing my habits and friends not wanting to meet up because I wasn't drinking. Then I started up slowly but like Drew I'm not a one, Two or Three drinks I just want more and more. So I got to give it up or my forties will just a waste. Drew is such a lovely down to earth and natural woman
I got an OWI 3 years ago. It was the worst experience in my life but at the same time I'm so glad it happened. It saved my life. I had been drinking to black out almost every single day for 25 years. I've been sober for almost 3 years now and I'm so thankful to not feel like I have to drink to live anymore. It took a good year and a half to get to that point but I'm to the point now that I never want to go back.
I'm 67 and I quit weed after 4 decades! the last was 15 years with weed every day. I wouldn't go places out of the country where would IA get weed. My so-called friends were also weed heads...I lived two lives...finally this Christmas I just said enough, and I haven't missed it. I'm finding balance and I have my life back. Yes, I was sick of being that me. I like this new me 7.0. I am a good person. I do care about people'. I'm alive again. I feel resurrected... I gave up coffee too! because I liked the creamer with the sugar...I was addicted to creamer. I am also very aware of the sugars in my nutritional lifestyle. Thank you, God, for being with me and not giving up on me...Thank you Drew for sharing your story.
I love Drew! She is one hell of an amazing woman!! ❤️❤️
Thank God she’s sober! I always wondered when she’d give it up. It was so obviously a need in her life. So glad.
It has nothing to do with "God". Thankfully she chose for herself to quit - and did it.
Debbie, get the stick our your a**
Thank Drew not God. She did all the work.
I haven’t had alcohol for 7 years.
I was listening to Usher’s song “Numb” and he says “keep on doing the same old thing and you expecting change. Is that really insanity or just a losers game?” .. In that moment I knew I wanted to stop drinking. .. I put myself in therapy.
I empathize with Drew.
Her beautiful eyes... clarity.
Yes Maam , 15 months none here either. Don't miss any facet of it. 👍
People can definitely change because the brain is neuroplastic. But they have to want to change and do the work
Good reply, happy holidays.
The brain is neuroplastic but only to a point.
Damn, this was quite insightful. As someone who's been drinking for 15 years (half of my life) I realize that things actually start going downhill. I also have an addictive personality and lose self-control once I start drinking. I've lost so much to it...
Congratulations Drew!!! Kicking the bottle is half the battle...
I’ve had a crush on Drew since childhood and everytime I see her I relapse back into love with her again!
I love this gal. I would love to give her a hug. I have relatives who have struggled with the problem for years….❤
I love Drew so much 🥹 she is just a beautiful person inside and out.
Wow, that was one of the more impactful things I've seen. Thanks Drew!
Youth lulls alot of people into not changing. As one gets older many realize they can't go on with the same mistakes and patterns anymore.
Ooookay, human trafficking is real and not something to turn a blind eye to!!! What if it was happening to YOU??? Or your daughter??? SMH
Her: I’m NOT sober
The comments: so glad she got sober ☺️
You have to perceive the way she said it. She also said she doesn’t drink alcohol anymore, the “not sober” to me means more than alcohol itself.
Yeah TRULY LISTENING and hearing WHAT'S daid not what you WISH for being daid is also an abillity ISN'T it ? 😅🤣😂😊😉🙃 humans gonna human
*Said
@@annasaddiction5129 well. someone's got an inflated Ego. Give the topic at hand a bit more respect. If you can.
@@fortune. wtf does that mean? Multiple comments are mentioning she's sober on a video where she clarifies that she is NOT sober. People do need to practice listening more to what is said and not what they want to hear. Try not to look for things to be offended about. If you can.
The confident decision part is key...she got to a point where she knew she had to give it up. Then she went from there. Confidently decide enough is enough
Having come from generations of alcoholism, I’m so happy I didn’t develop a problem.
I need a 2022 Drew Barrymore hair tutorial 😫 how can she flip it to both sides without having a part come in?
Lifetime of practice
This interview is so good ❤️
Omg she's so amazing! If she's ever in the UK I'd love to ask her out for a drink to chat.
Gotta love Drew! Soo well-spoken
3:44 “Insecurity is loud, Confidence is quiet.”
Wow! The day in the life question.... nice! Thought provoking.
I love Drew Barrymore she evolved incredibly and love it.
i had n alcohol blackout , couldn't remember anything when i woke up, lost my cell phone,, was really embarrased as my neighbors were laughing when they saw me the next day, i never drank after that, been 16 years sober.
what an amazing inspirational story. Thanks Drew for sharing this the world
Thank you Drew for being real! Thank you for being an inspiration and role model! ❤⚘
Amen! I gave up alcohol (which I never really drank much of anyway) about 6 years ago and I don't miss it one ounce! I got sick off one ounce and then just decided my body can't process it. It's not necessary to survive. Drew, you are a great role model.
You listened to your body. Good for you!! It takes strength.
She is a genuine and honest person and all my respect ❤
We can be lucky she is still with us and she is an amazing actor and person.I like her very much.
Love this women. Been a fan since I was a kid watching ET. Beautiful inside and out. Love her honesty.
I love drew! She seems like if you met her she would be ur best friend…drinking was holding me back too love not being hungover and no blackouts
So true. I think her and Alecia Moore (P!nk) have this authenticity that is absolutely palpable.
What an incredible woman 🎉
I totally vibe with Drew’s method of handling addiction. I don’t really work a program cause it’s not for me. I’m sober of hard drugs for over 7 years but I still use anti anxiety meds because of my ocd. I use them properly but according to people I’m not sober sober but whatever I need it for my illness.
"Just one drink" is the most ironic statement