Maybe the same reason a lot of us do — By all accounts, Brad Pitt is closing in on 7 years of sobriety. Like most megastars who struggle with alcohol use — like his peers, Ben Affleck and Bradley Cooper — Pitt’s struggle became public knowledge. This happened shortly after his wife Angelina Jolie filed for divorce in 2016. Pitt…

Let them explain why they do — I’ve seen countless articles and blogs that give advice on what to say when someone asks you why you’re not drinking — we all have. I believe the authors of these articles have their hearts in the right place — but stop that shit! All it does is perpetuate the…

We know a lot more than we knew in 1935 — I’ve been openly critical of Alcoholics Anonymous on this platform and others, which has led to some very predictable counter-criticism from AA members. …

Some make the change before it’s too late — some do not — This past Labor Day weekend two famous musicians passed away — for two very different reasons. Steve Harwell was the lead singer of San Jose’s Smash Mouth, who had a big hit in 1999 with “All-Star” and a remake of the classic Monkees song “I’m A Believer” in 2001. Originally…

…are the same 5 reasons why people do — If you asked any random drinker why they drink alcohol they would most likely point to one or more of the following: To relax, to have fun, to be more outgoing. Some might even say it’s for their health — while others say it’s a great escape. All of these…

It’s been an unexpected gift to my alcohol-free life — When I was 17 years old I was obese. My parents got divorced when I was 8, and shortly thereafter I started gaining weight. My dad moved out and my mom worked two jobs to keep a roof over our heads, so I was left alone for a large swath…

You miss out on a lot more being drunk than being sober — I’m sure I’m dating myself here, but I’ve seen The Grateful Dead (with Jerry Garcia) over 50 times. That sounds like a lot if you’re not into the Grateful Dead, but I have Deadhead friends who saw Jerry and the boys hundreds of times. It’s just what Deadheads do. I…

Alcohol is poison — even in moderation — There’s a prevailing myth that when it comes to alcohol, there are two types of drinkers: Normal drinkers — and alcoholics. The “normal drinker” generally refers to anyone who drinks alcohol at a mild to moderate level, and doesn’t have the outward circumstances usually attributed to problem drinkers — like…

The “Jackass” star now has 120 days sober — In the early 2000s, my band Laughing Colors was offered an interesting gig that we did not want to pass up. We had played on many stages — both opening and headlining — but this particular gig promised to be a “unique” experience to say the least. We would be…