If most of your days include a drink, or you reach for a glass of wine to help you wind down in the evenings, you might find the idea of quitting alcohol overwhelming.
Katie Nessel, a 38-year-old based in Washington State, knows a thing or two about just how hard it can be. The stay-at-home mother of two would give into a “well-earned” drink every night for years, after spending a lifetime surrounded by alcohol while working in the booze-fueled hospitality sector. She now describes herself as “soberish”—one who drinks small amounts on occasion instead of going teetotal—and hopes that this less daunting approach to cutting down on alcohol can encourage others to rethink their intake too.
Nessel, who began creating content about her lifestyle choice in 2022, never intended to become an advocate for mindful drinking. Nessel, known online as @soberishmom, had simply decided to cut back on alcohol to improve her health. But when she began sharing what she had learned about alcohol’s hidden risks on Instagram, her message resonated far beyond her expectations.
Her January 4 post—where she highlighted five health concerns connected to drinking—quickly went viral, amassing over 400,000 likes. In the video, Nessel films herself going about her day—visiting the dentist, cleaning her home—while overlaid texts reveal the facts that convinced her to rethink her relationship with alcohol. They span alcohol’s impact on one’s general health, dental health, skin, weight and mental well-being.
“I think we have had a public crisis of misinformation around the health risks of alcohol,” Nessel told Newsweek. “People simply did not know the correlation between moderate drinking and the physiological and psychological impacts it has for days or even weeks after consuming.”
The widespread reaction to her post, she believes, is proof that people are “hungry for information” about alcohol’s effects and less interested in the “glamorization of drinking” that has dominated popular culture for decades.
“My goal is always to inform, educate, and encourage people to look at how much they are drinking,” Nessel said. “There is no judgment attached—just an invitation to consider if alcohol is playing too big a role in your life.”
Viewers on Instagram were able to see Nessel stage animated reactions to the information she had received about the impact alcohol can have on different parts of the body.
“POV: [Point of view] You learn five terrifying facts about alcohol that convince you to drink a little less in 2025,” the overlaid text read.
The messages matched up with the clips, showing the perspective of different professionals:
- Dentist: “Alcohol stays in your saliva for up to 24 hours, increasing your risk of tooth decay, chronic bad breath, and gum disease.”
- Dermatologist: “Alcohol is one of the most aggressive compounds that breaks down your skin and speeds up aging and wrinkles.”
- Trainer: “Alcohol slows down fat-burning, muscle growth, and your metabolism.”
- Doctor: “Alcohol is a group one carcinogen linked to increased risk for seven different cancers.”
- Therapist: “Alcohol increases your anxiety and decreases your patience.”
The post sparked widespread discussion in the comments, reinforcing a growing movement among young adults who are choosing to reduce or eliminate their alcohol intake. Research from analytics firm Gallup shows that U.S. alcohol consumption is declining, with younger generations drinking significantly less than their predecessors.
I Had No Idea What I Was Doing to My Brain and Body
Nessel’s decision to cut down her alcohol intake by “90 percent,” led her to start Soberish Mom, her social media platform and online blog dedicated to helping others reconsider their drinking habits. Nessel has been running @soberishmom and its associated website for two years and says she has helped thousands of people worldwide reduce their drinking in this time.
“When I started cutting back drinking, one of the most important steps was educating myself on the risks of alcohol,” she said. “I had no idea what I was doing to my brain and body.”
Still, she is quick to clarify with her 235,000-plus followers that she is not against alcohol entirely.
“I am no prohibitionist, and I still occasionally drink,” Nessel said. “A couple of drinks now and again probably will not cause major health problems for most people.
“But heavy use or frequent binge drinking—more than four drinks on one occasion for women or five for men, according to the CDC—can cause some serious risks to all aspects of your health.”
A Doctor Weighs In
To assess whether Nessel’s claims hold weight, Newsweek reached out to Dr. Olalekan Otulana, a doctor and addiction specialist based in England with expertise in substance misuse management. He confirmed that the risks highlighted in Nessel’s video are backed by medical evidence.
“Alcohol tends to dry out your mouth, which reduces saliva flow,” Otulana said, in a direct response to Nessel’s claim. “That might not sound serious, but saliva protects your teeth and without it, you are more prone to cavities and decay.
“Plus, many alcoholic drinks are acidic or sugary, which can erode enamel over time…I have seen patients who drink regularly come in with more dental issues than you would expect for their age,” he added.
The doctor then examined alcohol’s effect on the skin, saying that the substance is inherently dehydrating which can result in puffiness and bloating in the short term. In the long term, it can indeed lead to more wrinkles and a prematurely aged appearance. He added that it can worsen certain skin conditions like rosacea.
“As for alcohol and muscle growth, alcohol is basically empty calories, so it can contribute to weight gain quickly,” Otulana said. “Frequent drinking also interferes with muscle recovery after workouts, which is needed for building strength.
“If you are drinking heavily, it may also reduce motivation for exercise.”
The doctor added that there exists a clear link between alcohol consumption and several types of cancer—particularly cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and liver.
“It is dose-dependent, meaning the more you drink, the higher your risk,” he said. “But even moderate drinking can increase cancer risk somewhat.
“And although alcohol might seem to help with anxiety in the moment, in the long-term, it often makes it worse.”
Otulana added that drinking can disrupt one’s sleep and worsen mental health conditions like depression.
“Chronic heavy drinking can also lead to memory problems and even increase the risk of dementia,” he concluded.
The Growing ‘Soberish’ Movement
The viral interest in Nessel’s “soberish” content and the reaction to her recent video reflect a broader societal shift. Alcohol-free and “sober curious” lifestyles are becoming more mainstream, with younger generations leading the way.
A 2022 Gallup poll showed that just 62 percent of adults under 35 reported drinking alcohol—down from 72 percent in 2001. The number of nightclubs, particularly in the U.K. and U.S., has slightly decreased in recent years, hinting at a turning away from drinking as a leisure activity.
While the decision to stop or cut back on drinking is deeply personal, Nessel hopes that more people will at least consider the potential effects alcohol has on their bodies.
“Taking a break from drinking will do your body a lot of good,” she said.
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