Soberish: The Science Based Guide to Taking Your Power Back from Alcohol

Lyons, founder of the online community 1,000 Hours Dry, debuts with a smart how-to manual that encourages readers to embrace a “soberish” lifestyle by “writ[ing] your own narrative when it comes to the relationship you have with alcohol.” Unlike traditional 12-step programs that center a higher power, Lyons frames recovery as a process “based within your own sphere of control,” whether that means abstaining from drinking or simply cutting back. Readers should first look inward to pinpoint the emotional function alcohol serves in their lives, whether it’s fighting shyness or reducing stress; “once we find the root,” Lyons writes, “we can address it and make some tangible, positive changes.” To that end, she offers a sobriety “toolkit” of “new... habits to replace the old ones that were negatively impacting your wellbeing,” among them eating well, identifying and avoiding emotional triggers, adopting an “abundance mindset,” and practicing “intuitive movement” by “express[ing]... ourselves physically without tying ourselves to exercise milestones.” Based in sound psychological principles and addiction research, Lyons’s advice is ideal for those who wish to rethink their relationship with alcohol without adhering to prescriptive principles or moralizing judgments (“You get to... choose what works best for you... and how you’d like to move forward”). It’s ideal for the sober-curious. (Sept.)