Soberish

I’m a big devourer of quit lit having reassessed my relationship with alcohol 5 years ago and I am particularly interested in the science behind our addiction, how some people can escape relatively unscathed whilst others are fully consumed. This book didn’t bring any new information to the table as far as I am concerned but maybe Kayla is preaching to the converted!

That said any new books are welcome and if you want to start exploring this complicated subject then this may be a place to start.

I've been AF for five years but still enjoy reading about the topic of people giving up alcohol. Soberish was a helpful book to get tips that I could pass to others that desire to cut back on drinking. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Four stars.

*** Thank you to Netgalley, Kayla Lyons, and Watkins Publishing for the ARC***
Release Date: 09.12.2023

As I get closer and closer to turning 30 (a little over 3 weeks away at this point) I am looking into things to do to better myself. The way I drink is one of them. Genetically, I am likely to become an alcoholic. As a Registered Nurse who worked through a pandemic and jumped from one stressful job to another, I am even more likely. As a millennial who wants to drink for any reason – it’s 75 and sunny, I am on vacation, I am celebrating a special event – gimme a drink. The 30 pounds I’ve gained over the past few years are further proof. BUT HOW. I have stopped and started more times than I can count. That’s where I hope Soberish can help me.
Soberish breaks down all aspects of drinking, even down to levels I didn’t think of. I started the book taking a test to figure out which kind of drinker I am. The book has many graphs and explanations that anyone can understand. Chapter 5 explains nutrition and supplements/minerals/vitamins which, to be honest, I probably learned to pass a nursing test and never remembered again, it was beneficial to me to be able to understand why my body needs these nutrients and how alcohol can cause deficits. There is also a chapter on cold exposure therapy, which I watched a lot of Tiktoks about, but never read up on and after reading about it in Soberish, I think it might be the key to helping me break my cycle for good.
The only downfall I had with this book was some parts read more long winded like a school research paper and less than a self-help book for the average consumer, but as previously stated the material is easy to digest.
I may never become 100% sober, but I do believe this book will get me on track to making better choices and becoming the best drinking version of myself. If you want more information on giving up alcohol, pick up Soberish. You are not alone, this might be all the help you need.

Soberish by Kayla Lyons is a comprehensive and empowering guide that offers science-based strategies for reclaiming your power and transforming your relationship with alcohol. Lyons presents a non-judgmental and inclusive approach, catering to those seeking to go completely alcohol-free or make adjustments to their drinking habits.

The book covers a wide range of topics, including the societal influences surrounding alcohol, self-assessment exercises, and debunking common myths. With insights from addiction and nutrition experts, as well as real-life stories, readers gain a well-rounded perspective.

The inclusion of a Soberish toolkit, featuring techniques like breathing exercises and movement, adds practical tools to support individuals in their journey. The guide also addresses real-life scenarios involving alcohol, helping readers navigate social situations while staying aligned with their goals.

Lyons' writing style is accessible and engaging, making complex information easy to understand. The emphasis on science-based facts ensures that readers receive accurate information about the impact of alcohol on the body.

Soberish is an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to redefine their relationship with alcohol. With its supportive guidance and evidence-based approach, this guide equips readers with the necessary tools to make positive changes and regain control over their lives.

Soberish: The Science-Based Guide to taking your power back from alcohol, is a guide to assist individuals in creating a better relationship with alcohol. Too often, we believe that drugs are bad for us and our health, and we discount the effect of alcohol on our lives. The use of alcohol is seen as “fun” and what you “do” on the weekends or time off. However, is it is as benevolent as advertised? A negative relationship with alcohol can be formed merely, by habit or faulty thinking patterns, as explained by Kayla Lyons. Ms. Lyons does a really nice job of starting at the very beginning, explaining the brain-body connection and what occurs when alcohol is consumed. She then encourages the creation of a “soberish” toolkit, with presented tools and strategies. Kayla addresses many important components of recovery, including getting adequate nutrition and sleep, journaling, engaging in some form of physical activity, and surrounding yourself with a community of like-minded people. A direct, kind voice is presented, with personal stories and practical advice. This book is inspirational and positive. It gives an individual hope on this journey. I highly recommend this book. Thank you the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was an excellent resource for those who are trying to quit or cut back on alcohol consumption. It is told through a relatable lens and has some very helpful techniques to get through cravings, look at what you are gaining rather than giving up, how to find a sober community, and some science behind how alcohol affects the mind and body. Although not every part will be for everyone (I will not be doing cold immersion therapy), there will hopefully be something to help everyone. I appreciated the conversation around slipups not needing to put you back at the starting line and viewing sobriety as a goal rather than complete black or white.

I loved this book, I loved the insight , and the stories, I do socially drink but have cut back over the years, so many of the things I read in this book hit home, and hard. Great read , whether you drink or are dry, its a great read. 4 stars!

I really enjoyed this book. Definitely able to relate to it. I'm a big fan of quit lit as it's helped me with my soberiety and find them all helpful still.

I did not find this book useful, but it is on me. The book is doing exactly what it tells it would do, namely helping to plan a journey you can go on to a soberish lifestyle, but nothing more. I hoped it would have more tips on how to communicate your journey with other people, other than a "don't worry, people are too busy with themselves to pay attention to you" message, which I would have found more useful.

This book is definitely of its time, which is great right now but it is not going to age well, and it is definitely marketed towards young women.

The points were generally easy to follow and I found the writing style very approachable. The structure of the book makes it easily searchable, which comes in handy when you want to revisit a section.

“Being soberish means freeing yourself from the power alcohol holds over so many of us, forging your own path and healing in a way that works for you.” These words begin to describe Kayla Lyons thorough guide to changing your relationship with alcohol. She continues with a history of the popularity of alcohol, efforts to control drinking and the power of advertising. She suggests haling a seven day pause from drinking and following these guidelines: Intention, Enlightening, Encouraging and Enabling. A discussion of the ways alcohol effects your body follows with possible reasons why you drink. Lyons adds vitamins you may need on your journey to sobriety and helpful meditations and exercises.

Soberish incorporates information with a kind, forgiving attitude. Anyone who is dealing with a problem drinker or is reflecting on their own drinking habits will benefit from reading this. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Watkins Publishing and Kayla Lyons for this ARC.

This book has a lot of helpful information/statistics for those wanting to understand the impact of alcohol use versus sobriety. It is nice to see some options for harm reduction and changing the social relationship with alcohol rather than the usual abstinence only strategies for alcohol use.

This is an interesting book that promises with the help of science and with the plan included in the book to have a different and healthier relationship with alcohol. It starts with discovering what kind of drinker is any person who drinks alcohol and why as societies people drink and then suggestions that may help to reduce the drinking. I think some people will find the book of being a huge help knowing they are not alone on their journey.

Soberish was great! Teaching addicts that you are on your own sober journey and you aren’t going to need the same routines and tools as the next addict is powerful. We are all alike, yet so incredibly different! Learning what helps you with sobriety and utilizing it is so much more important than just following what helps others. And knowing that you’re not perfect and not punish yourself if you don’t succeed on your first try. You don’t give up learning to speak when your a toddler and can’t pronounce words right, or when your in grade school learning how to ride a bike. It’s the same as an adult learning how to be Soberish. I received this ARC for free from NetGalley and I am leaving my honest opinion in my review. Thank you!

I found this very useful, especially the gentle and non-judgmental approach to changing your relationship with alcohol. I liked the idea of abandoning an all-or-nothing approach and allowing yourself to find a better balance that works for you, and doing so on an informed basis with some understanding of the science behind alcohol consumption. This will be useful for so many people.

This book's strengths are pretty strong: accessible language, great structure, good data, and my personal favourite - it's not condescending in the slightest! It delivers on its initial promise of giving you, the reader, the tools of planning your soberish life based on your wants and needs and current lifestyle.

The are a few weaknesses: some parts are a bit drawn out and could be better synthesized, while others are way too simplified (an example that comes to mind is the portions that talk about meditation; if the reader's first introduction to meditation is this book, then they'll be quite lost, but this isn't a huge issue in my opinion, just a nitpick). On a last note: my favourite parts were reading about the author's own experiences and I kinda wish there was more of that in the book.

Overall, I think this could be an approachable entryway for young people into further researching their reasons for drinking and mechanisms of self help. Plus the cover is really cute! It would surely look nicer on a bookshelf than older self help books.

While this book didn't provide much new information to me personally, I think this is an excellent resource for anyone who wants to reassess their relationship with alcohol. This book provides some great starting points and resources around making realistic changes around alcohol consumption. I really enjoyed the information around the relationship between alcohol and the brain as well as the relatability of the author's own experiences.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was really curious to read this novel, having read mainly fiction for many years I thought that this would be an incredibly interesting read, which it was.

I am coming up to 40 and do like to have a drink and I can see the cycle of bad habit when it comes to having a drink and how easily it is to slip into "just have a drink tonight", so I really want to clean my habit up and when I saw this I thought it sounded perfect.

Full of interesting and science-based facts, I really enjoyed reading this book. I have taken away some really valuable lessons and how to put these into practice.

I enjoyed Kayla Lyons writing and really resonated with this book.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for allowing me a copy of this book.