In this addiction recovery story, salon owner & recovery advocate Lauren Welch opens up about her struggles with alcohol, postpartum anxiety, grief, and the pandemic’s impact on her drinking. She shares how an epic meltdown became the turning point toward sobriety and inspired her to create the Sober Curious Society.

Explore addiction and mental health treatment options: https://recovery.com

Connect with Lauren: https://www.instagram.com/lowelch/, https://www.thesobercurioussociety.com/

Key talking points:

1. Lauren Welch began drinking in adolescence, starting with wine coolers at age 12.
2. Her alcohol use escalated in high school and college, fueled by party culture and social validation.
3. Her parents’ divorce in senior year led her to rely on drinking as emotional escape.
4. She dabbled in ecstasy and cocaine during the rave era but avoided opioids due to adverse reactions.
5. Alcohol followed her into adulthood, shifting from bars to nightly wine at home, especially after becoming a mom.
6. The pandemic, postpartum anxiety, and financial stress deepened her reliance on alcohol.
7. Family tragedies—including her brother-in-law’s sudden death and her father’s stroke—pushed her drinking to dangerous levels.
8. An alcohol-fueled meltdown at a wedding became her wake-up call to pursue sobriety.
9. Step by step, she found healing through therapy, community, and building her Sober Curious Society.
10. Now over two years sober, she advocates for women to explore sobriety, find support, and rediscover themselves.

00:00 Epic Meltdown and Sobriety Journey

00:39 Introduction to Recoverycast

01:00 Lauren's Background and Childhood

02:33 Early Experiences with Alcohol

03:24 High School and Coping Mechanisms

04:36 College and Cosmetology School

11:28 Post-College Life and Marriage

13:59 Pandemic Struggles and Family Loss

21:34 Therapy and Realizations

26:09 Struggles of Sharing Feelings

26:27 The Burden of Caregiving

27:52 Mommy Wine Culture

28:46 The Turning Point: Deciding to Quit Drinking

29:16 The Sober Journey Begins

29:37 The Wedding Meltdown

31:30 First Steps to Sobriety

33:18 Building the Sober Curious Society

35:21 Maintaining Sobriety and Overcoming Cravings

37:35 The Importance of Community Support

39:16 Personal Growth and Self-Discovery

44:11 Launching the Sober Curious Society

47:11 Reflecting on Sobriety and Future Plans

53:22 Final Thoughts and Social Media Links