Her Best Kept Secret: Why Women Drink and How They Can Regain Control

Her Best kept secret by Gabrielle Glaser

Is it just me or is alcohol very deliberately marketed to women? Since when is wine the secret to self-care? And mommy juice a way to cope with children?

The data shows that women are drinking more and more over the last two decades. It’s how we cope with the stresses of modern life and having to do it all. And yet, who benefits from all the drinking we’re doing? It wasn’t me.

Glaser dives deep into the history of women drinking in the US and the history behind traditional recovery methods, not exactly developed with women in mind (and unfortunately have their fair share of sexual assault abuses).

My favorite thing about this book is giving evidence to the fact that there are different successful recovery options and that one size does not fit all. There are millions of gradients of experiences with alcohol and personality types and to think there’s only one solution to the problem is actually kind of silly. No one should have to feel like they “failed,” or aren’t allowed to quit because it wasn’t for them.

My favorite part from the book: “Tests on emotional maturity show that those who score at the higher end of the scale tend to be independent thinkers who are introspective and aware of their inner conflicts. They are able to tolerate, even appreciate, life’s ambiguities, paradoxes, and inconsistencies and can integrate new experiences, learning, and skills into changing self-perceptions. Those who score in the middle ranges often have fixed self-perceptions, tend to prize conformity, and function best within strict rubrics. Such people are better suited to AA, with its clearly delineated rules and limits. Many find comfort in the repetitive axioms of AA and its sobriety chips. Those who score higher on the test tend to do least well with twelve-step programs. AA is not for people who ask a lot of questions.”

You are allowed to be unique and ask questions and find the methods that work best for you!