Social media has a major foothold in today’s society for both good and bad reasons. However, we can’t help but be thankful for platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for making worldwide communication and interconnection among people possible. While many things on social media are harmful, there’s also a bright side to these platforms that can help people go through some of the toughest stages of their lives, including addiction recovery. In honor of those who have undergone drug or alcohol treatment and publicly shared their highs and lows in recovery, below Banyan Treatment Centers shares nine sober influencers that may inspire you in your journey to sobriety.
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9 Sober Social Media Influencers to Follow
The great thing about 2022 is the abundance of online resources we have for people of all communities, including the addiction recovery community. Famous non-drinkers and non-drug users are becoming more outspoken about their sober habits and shedding light on the joys of being addiction-free. For many people, who we follow on social media plays a major role in how we behave and carry ourselves.
With a twist on the old saying, “Show me who your friends are, and I’ll tell you who you are,” today’s society lives in the mindset of, “Show me who you follow on Instagram, and I'll tell you who you are.” Like spending time with people in person, what we’re daily feeding our minds makes an impact on how we behave. With this in mind, if you want to get sober or are already sober and need some extra support, here are nine sober influencers you should follow for motivation.
Annie Grace - @thisnakedmind
Having gone through a personal experience with heavy drinking at 26, Annie Grace’s success as the youngest Vice President in a multinational company no longer outweighed the close to two bottles of wine she’d drink every night. Although she was never diagnosed with alcohol use disorder, Grace knew she’d need to revamp her relationship with alcohol before things got out of hand. Fast forward a few years, and she’s now written two books about alcoholism and managing one’s drinking habits, This Naked Mind and The Alcohol Experiment, and shares her advice and experiences on her website, Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube.
Kate & Mandy - @lovesober.cic
On both their social media platforms and podcast “Love Sober,” Kate and Mandy offer brilliant and realistic sober tips and tactics to help people who want to quit drinking achieve their goals. They invite guests onto their podcasts regularly to offer various perspectives on sobriety and how to live alcohol and drug-free. They also speak in sober live events and share plenty of advice on their social media page.
Russell Brand - @ russellbrand
Russell Brand, known for his comical roles in movies like “Get Him to the Greek” and “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” turned his life around when he quit drugs and alcohol in 2002. Since then, he’s gone on to be publicly recognized not only for his onscreen work but also for his influence in the sober community. Through his YouTube channel and books like Recovery: Freedom From Our Addictions, Brand is successfully standing with one foot in Hollywood and the other in the recovery community.
Holly Whitaker - @holly
Holly Whitaker’s alcohol addiction began in 2012 when she was at the peak of her career as a director at a San Francisco health tech start-up. She was living the exact life she’d imagined for herself – or at least what she now says was the life society imagined for her. Behind the scenes of her success, her life was unhappy. She struggled with depression and anxiety, as well as co-occurring bulimia nervosa and alcoholism.
In 2012 Whitaker hit rock bottom. This was when she was either downing several bottles of wine a night or binging and purging close to $1,000 of takeout food a week along with heavy marijuana and cigarette use. Since she made her decision to quit, Whitaker has started a podcast and company, written a book called Quit Like A Woman, and rehabilitated her relationships. Today, she uses her platforms to help others find their happiness in sobriety.
Carly Benson - @carlybbenson
With over 12 years of recovery from alcohol and cocaine under her belt, Benson is a certified holistic recovery coach, international speaker, yoga instructor, and sober Instagram superstar who offers advice and resources to those in the recovery community. Through faith, self-love, and learning how to navigate living intentionally and mindfully, Benson was able to break her alcohol and cocaine addictions and learn how to live a sober and fulfilling life.
Millie Gooch - @sobergirlsociety
Sober Girl Society was founded by Millie Gooch in 2018 to show the world that a sober life can be fun. After years of partying and hangovers, Millie Gooch decided to quit drinking in February 2018 and started Sober Girl Society seven months later. Having worked for Hearst Magazines for 5 years as a lifestyle journalist, Gooch now writes about sobriety and her activism work concerning a drug-free life for various publications, including Red, Stylist, The Telegraph, Refinery29, Elle, Cosmopolitan, UniLad, Bustle, Delish, and more. With a popular Instagram account, podcast, and her first published piece, The Sober Girl Society Handbook, Gooch is making headway in the sober community.
Kelly Fitzgerald-Junco - @thesobersenorita
Once the fun-loving, popular, social party girl, Kelly Fitzgerald-Junco decided to quit drinking on May 6, 2013, and changed her life for the better. Now a life coach herself, Fitzgerald-Junco helps others make the decision she made almost nine years ago and build lives for themselves that aren’t controlled by drugs or alcohol. You can now check out this sober señorita’s Instagram and other online platforms for advice.
Laura McKowen - @laura_mckowen
Author of We Are the Luckiest: The Surprising Magic of a Sober Life, host of “Tell Me Something True” podcast, and founder of a global sobriety support community called The Luckiest Club, Laura McKowen got sober in September 2014 and hasn’t looked back since. Today, through various platforms, she helps others who are seeking additional support find themselves amid recovery and relearn how to live their lives.
Kirstin Walker - @soberbrowngirls
Sober Brown Girls is a website and social media account run by Kirstin Walker, a sober media influencer for women of color. Whether you’re curious about sobriety or you’re currently on the sobriety train and need support, Sober Brown Girls is a wonderful online platform and community that can help. While this platform isn’t just for women of color, representation matters. Sober Brown Girls was founded in hopes of providing practical tools for sobriety and breaking down the stigma surrounding sobriety among women of all backgrounds, starting with women of color.
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Get Help for Addiction Today
Considering the role of platforms like Instagram and Facebook in today’s society, social media sobriety is influential now more than ever. While these resources are helpful, they’re most effective when paired with professional help. If you or a loved one is struggling with substance abuse, our partial hospitalization program in Chicago can help.
Our drug rehab in Naperville, IL, is dedicated to the welfare, safety, and recovery of our patients as well as their loved ones. From individual therapy to family support, we offer everything clients need to overcome their addictions and learn how to live sober lives.
To learn how our specialists can help you start this journey today, call Banyan Chicago at 888-280-4763.
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Discovering Your Love Language in Recovery
Benefits of Alumni Recovery Programs
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