Janet Mbugua on two years of sobriety and recovery
Janet Mbugua recently shared her journey of achieving nearly two years of sobriety.
In a candid video, she discussed her decision to quit alcohol and the motivations behind her choice.
The media personality revealed that she recognized her increasing reliance on alcohol and decided to take control of her life before it became a dangerous habit.
While she acknowledged that she didn’t have a severe drinking problem, she admitted that she had used alcohol as a coping mechanism.
“I did not have an attachment to or have a dangerous drinking habit; I must mention that. I just wanted to make that clear,” Janet clarified at the beginning of her video.
She went on to explain that her fear of potentially developing an addiction played a significant role in her decision to quit alcohol.
She described using alcohol as a way to deal with various life challenges, whether it was stress or simply having a bad day.
“If I had a bad day, I’d just have a glass of wine; I’m going out, I’m stressed, I’d have some alcohol. Whatever it was, I’d just sort of use it to cope. It didn’t become this dangerous pattern, but it could have,” Janet revealed.
Janet’s video was accompanied by a message emphasizing that sobriety is currently receiving more attention and recognition.
She acknowledged that terms like “sober-curious” and “mindful drinking” have become familiar phrases, while initiatives like Sober October and Dry January have gained popularity.
However, she clarified that these trends were not the driving forces behind her decision to quit drinking.
Janet said her primary goal was to share her journey with sobriety and inspire others, but she also stressed that her choice to abstain from alcohol did not equate to condemning people who choose to drink.
“Sobriety is having its moment. “Sober-curious” or “mindful drinking” are now familiar phrases; Sober October and Dry January are popular trends [however] Sober October and Dry January were not on my list of reasons to stop drinking. In fact, I’m not sure if I had heard of them. But since I talked about my own journey without alcohol in one of my videos (Choose Your Hard), I’ve gotten questions from many of you about what I’m learning as I go along.”
The ex-Citizen TV news journalist reassured her audience that she would continue attending events and social gatherings where alcohol is served, expressing her comfort within such settings.
She mentioned that her discussions about sobriety aimed to offer support and encouragement to those facing similar challenges.
“Another important disclaimer – I will continue to attend events, activities, and get-togethers of colleagues, friends, and family, that serve alcohol. I have no issue at all with that, not only because I’m comfortable even within such settings, but because my conversations around sobriety do not mean that I condemn people’s choice to use alcohol. So you’ll definitely see me there from time to time, juice or mocktail in hand!”
She concluded her message with an essential reminder, urging anyone struggling with alcohol or substance abuse to seek professional help and emphasizing that they are not alone in their journey.
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