I Was Drinking 3 Bottles Of Wine A Night | Jessica’s Sobriety StoryI Was Drinking 3 Bottles Of Wine A Night | Jessica’s Sobriety Story
Sober Motivation: Sharing Sobriety Stories
Jessica talks about drinking three bottles of wine a night while appearing functional, and what finally pushed her to seek help. She reflects on ADHD, trauma, motherhood and relapse, and how connection, community and writing have helped her maintain long-term sobriety.
1:05:13•22 May 2026
From Three Bottles a Night to 13 Years Sober: Jessica’s Story of Motherhood, ADHD and Recovery
Episode Overview
- Connection is presented as the opposite of addiction; reaching out to others in recovery can ease loneliness and shame.
- Being honest with at least one safe person about drinking is described as crucial for accountability and relief.
- Moderation became exhausting “mental gymnastics”, while the single decision not to drink simplified life.
- Motherhood, neurodiversity and trauma can hide behind a ‘high-functioning’ exterior, yet still drive dangerous levels of drinking.
- Creative outlets and purpose, such as writing about addiction and motherhood, can support long-term sobriety and help others feel less alone.
“I remember looking at myself in the mirror, and I got done throwing up. And I genuinely heard a voice that wasn't mine, and it said, 'Haven't you had enough yet?'”
What can we learn from those who have battled addiction? This conversation on Sober Motivation follows Jessica, who went from drinking three bottles of wine a night and blacking out regularly to celebrating 13 years without alcohol. Jessica talks frankly about growing up feeling like an outsider, masking undiagnosed ADHD and OCD, and finding instant relief in alcohol at 16.
Drinking became her shortcut to connection and confidence, but also opened the door to dangerous situations, including sexual assault and risky behaviour she says felt totally out of character. On the outside, she was the capable special education teacher, ticking all the boxes. Behind closed doors, she was inducing vomiting before work, hiding bottles, and living with crippling shame.
Her turning point came one morning at the sink after throwing up: "I genuinely heard a voice that wasn't mine, and it said, 'Haven't you had enough yet?'" That moment of clarity pushed her to admit to her husband, “I think I have a problem with drinking,” and to walk into her first recovery meeting.
The episode doesn’t shy away from the messy bits: postpartum depression, standing at the top of the stairs fantasising about a hospital break, and a later relapse with prescription pills and THC gummies during the isolation of the pandemic. She explains how motherhood, neurodiversity and trauma all tangled together with addiction, and why mommy wine culture felt so seductive – and so dangerous. You’ll also hear how she found healing through connection, community, and writing.
Jessica shares how turning her experiences into fiction about motherhood and addiction helped other women feel seen, and even led to a two-book publishing deal. For anyone quietly wondering if “this is just how life is now,” her story offers a gentle challenge: what if your life could actually feel lighter without alcohol? So where might a single honest conversation or meeting take you next?
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