Summary

January Jones, at 45, has revealed her sobriety journey, quitting alcohol in her early 40s, joining a list of celebrities who have done the same, citing personal health, well-being, and professional aspirations as motivations.

Abstract

Actress January Jones has shared her experience of giving up alcohol around the age of 41, echoing a trend among many who find sobriety in their 40s. She, like others, including Jessica Simpson and Gary Oldman, has found significant health and personal benefits from quitting drinking. Jones' decision was influenced by a desire to avoid self-disappointment, pursue entrepreneurship, and heed her body's warnings against alcohol abuse. The article emphasizes the importance of listening to one's body, especially as it becomes less resilient to substance abuse with age. The societal perspective on alcohol is also scrutinized, with Jones' sobriety being newsworthy and referred to as a "confession," highlighting societal issues surrounding alcohol consumption. The author of the article encourages readers to consider the long-term benefits of sobriety, not only for physical health but also for mental clarity and achieving life goals.

Opinions

The author believes that the body sends clear signals to stop alcohol abuse as one ages, and ignoring these signals can lead to a decline in health and well-being.
There is a societal stigma or "sickness" around the concept of sobriety, as evidenced by the media's treatment of January Jones' sobriety as a "confession."
Quitting alcohol can lead to improved physical appearance, mental sharpness, and overall happiness, as well as reduced risk of health issues like cancer and heart disease.
The author suggests that the 40s can be a crucial period for making significant lifestyle changes, particularly in relation to alcohol consumption.
The author expresses regret over their own past alcohol use, implying that time spent drinking could have been better utilized for personal and professional growth.
The article posits that sobriety can enhance one's ability to find joy in everyday life without relying on the dopamine hits from alcohol.
The author endorses sobriety as a path to self-improvement and achieving one's potential, pointing to the success stories of various celebrities who have quit drinking.

January Jones reveals how she quit alcohol at a very important time (40+)

Isn’t it funny how so many of us find sobriety at a certain age?

I quit alcohol just over a year ago at age 41.

There were a few reasons for that.

The biggest was that I was so goddamn tired of disappointing myself.

I knew that the path to my own happiness and self-confidence as an individual was via entrepreneurship, but I was always either wasting time drinking or feeling too tired and depressed to actually do anything

But I think my body was also trying to tell me that if I didn’t stop abusing it soon, it was going to start quitting on me.

I was always tired and/or grumpy, my skin was completely parched and rashy all the time, and I kept getting injured every time I would attempt any physical activity.

I think early 40s is an important crossroads in the life of a heavy drinker.

Either you surrender to nature’s warnings and quit.

Or you begin the final spiral downward.

At a certain age, your body gives you undeniable messages that it’s time to toss booze off a cliff. (Credit: James Julian/DallE2)

Another 40s celeb joins Club Sober

My mind is on this topic after coming across an article this week about an actress who just revealed she also quietly quit alcohol in her early 40s.

That actress also happens to be one of my favorites: January Jones.

She was a star in two of my Top 10 all-time shows: Mad Men (drama) and The Last Man on Earth (comedy).

Earlier this week on Instagram in text accompanying her singing at her sister’s wedding, she wrote: “I blame this on not having had my main creative outlet for a while cause I haven’t touched booze in years.”

January Jones reveals on Instagram that she hasn’t touched booze in years. (Credit: Instagram.com)

She joins a long list of celebs (and regular people and writers here), who quit alcohol in their late 30s or early 40s, including many I’ve featured before.

They include:

And many more here.

Clearly, it’s working for January Jones.

Check any recent picture and she looks positively youthful for 45.

That her revelation was deemed newsworthy enough to generate an article in Hello! Magazine and that it was referred to as a “confession” really speaks to our societal sickness around alcohol, but that’s a topic for another day.

Protecting your body AND brain

Everyone has their own reasons for quitting booze when it starts to affect their health.

Maybe they’re tired of looking haggard and older than they should
Maybe they fear an early death from one of the many forms of cancer and heart disease caused by alcohol
Maybe it’s because their brain has been so trained to crave the dopamine hit that they can’t find joy in regular life
Maybe they feel less sharp mentally and are sick of not reaching their goals
Maybe they’re tired of being tired all the time
Maybe they wish they were in better shape when the 40+ metabolism kicks in
Maybe they’re tired of having an unnecessary headache in the morning

For me, it was a combination of all these things and more.

At some point you have to look in the mirror — really take in the puffy face, the bags under your eyes, the rapidly greying hair, the sullen look — and ask: is this what I really want?

Do I really want to see where this leads in 20 years?

Is this really worth it?

The human body is a survival mechanism, and it’ll tell you when it needs you to help it out.

When you’re in your 20s and 30s, you can get away with abusing it a lot and it’ll keep working for you (not that you should — one of my greatest regrets is wasting my productive 30s on alcohol).

The older you get, however, the more your body starts to push back and say, “Dude, what the hell are you doing to me?”

So take it from me, January Jones, and a whole host of others who finally ditched booze in their 40s: your body and mind will thank you for it.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this piece or found it inspiring, please give it some claps so others can find it!

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Still looking for something to read? I really enjoyed this piece by Barb Besteni about coming out of the sobriety closet.