Sonia Kahlon: From High-Functioning Drinking to Sobriety
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
When I found out he was cheating, I sent him one text, very nice text, didn't mention the cheating, just said, I'm not sure what to do here. I'm always here for you, blah, blah, blah. Gave him a couple of weeks, didn't respond, and I filed for divorce. I never heard from him again.
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Today on We're Out of Time, I'm joined by Sonia Collin, co-host of the podcast Sisters in Sobriety. Sonia is part of a growing movement, especially among women who are rethinking their relationship with alcohol and choosing sobriety for better mental health, clarity, and connection. Through her podcast and community, she's created a space where women can talk openly about drinking culture, recovery, and the pressures that often push people toward alcohol in the first place. Sonia, welcome.
Hi, Richard. Thanks for having me.
Of course. For people who may not know your story yet, what led you personally to reevaluate your relationship with alcohol?
Yeah, I think my story isn't that unique in the sense that I started drinking when I was in my early teens and really chalked it up as normal all through college. And I had the little extra few consequences, like, oh, I'm getting my stomach pumped at the hospital after partying all night, but still kind of was in the realm of normal. And then when I and then I went to dental school, I became a dentist, I did my residency. And all through that, I became an orthodontist. And I was steadily starting to drink with more frequency. And then when I was finally done with school, I was like 30. I really I started to drink every night. And so I would come home from work, and I would open a bottle of wine. And again, like really was able to chalk it up as pretty normal.
And like I had a really high pressure career. We were we had started our own practice. And I had like by by the time I quit drinking and I sold my business, we had eight practices. And so I really was in this work hard phase. play hard sort of life. And I, you know, this hustle culture and making money and I don't have time to, you know, meditate and I don't have time to do all these other, I have no other coping mechanisms. And so I would come home, I would work like 14, 15 hours, come home and just drink until I passed out every night. And, uh, I knew there was like this idea in my head. My brother had gone to AA, um, a few years before I quit. And I, you know, when, you know, when someone else does it, you just kind of know you're like, Oh shit.
Like my, my days are numbered. Um, but I, I had no way out. I thought, you know, this is my life. Like I work so hard, super successful. I'm I got so, so lucky. It was like life changing. I'm sure what happened to you was life changing to you when I got an offer from a private equity company to sell my practice. And the minute those conversations started, I knew I had to change something because I had never not been in school or not worked an obscene amount. And so I thought, what the hell am I going to do? The agreement when we sold was to stay on and work for two years to help with the transition. And I thought, that's like a nine to five job. I've never had a nine to five job. Yeah. And I thought I'm going to start drinking at five.
Um, and because like before I could like push my drinking to like seven, eight o'clock. And then I thought, and then what am I, I'm just going to start, I'm just, you know, and then when those two years are up, I'm just going to start drinking earlier and earlier and earlier. And so, and that did happen. So we sold the practice and all of a sudden, yeah, I have no ownership, like interest in the company. And I'm just sort of drinking earlier and earlier. And yeah, um i it wasn't really like it wasn't a rock bottom it wasn't a dui it wasn't anything like that it was just like the sick and tired of being sick and tired and so i had like a particularly bad hangover um and i went out to dinner went out to lunch with a friend of mine and i i just remember the the waiter saying you know would you like mimosa and i thought
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–6:46
2
What led Sonia Kahlon to reevaluate her relationship with alcohol?
6:46–9:52
3
How did Sonia's high-pressure career impact her drinking habits?
9:52–20:09
4
What moment prompted Sonia to stop drinking after years of dependence?
20:09–29:29
5
What challenges did Sonia face during her journey to sobriety?
29:29–32:38
6
How does stigma around addiction affect professionals like Sonia?
32:38–35:14
7
What is the significance of community in recovery according to Sonia?
35:14–49:22
8
What does 'sober curious' mean in today's culture?
49:22–58:16
Speakers
3 identifiedMore from We're Out of Time
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