Think before you drink: Renegotiating your relationship with alcohol
As the festive season approaches, meet people who are rethinking their relationship with what they choose to drink.
As the holidays approach, it can be hard not to get swept up in the festive spirit and have a drink.
People turn to alcohol for so many reasons: to celebrate, to unwind, to mark big occasions.
But people can also drink because of peer pressure, because of loneliness, or to cover up feelings they don't want to feel.
Regardless of the reason, how often have you stopped and thought about the role alcohol is playing... for you?
Today on Now or Never, pull up a seat at the bar with people who are in the middle of renegotiating their relationship with alcohol.
- Drop in on the Winnipeg Beer Choir, who think that choral music and craft beers are a perfect pairing.
- The idea that moms need wine to get through a day of parenting has become a punchline. Meet Allison Garber, who is fighting back against 'wine mom' memes and celebrating one year of sobriety.
- In most alcohol treatment programs, if you drink — you're out. But not at The Oaks in Ottawa, where residents are given a prescribed dose of alcohol every hour. Get to know some of the residents and learn more about Managed Alcohol in this documentary from the Fifth Estate.
- Hear from Winnipeg's John Heim, who not only sells beer for a living — but also recognizes how alcohol can impact a community.
- At one point in her life, it wasn't uncommon for Jessica Jeboult to drink four bottles of wine in a night. She'll share how she went from "party girl" to throwing a non-alcoholic sober girls mixer for young women.
- Meet Tavian Stewart and Kato Settee, two 15-year-olds from Cumberland House Cree Nation hoping to start "Sober Houses"... and transform their community.
Where to get help
If you or someone you know is struggling with a substance addiction, here's a link to resources across the country.
This episode originally aired in November 2019.