The time alcohol trapped Gwyneth Paltrow

I’m not surprised that alcohol manged to snare the uber-talented actress and entrepreneur Gwyneth Paltrow, because it got me at the exact same moment.

I had quit for my longest stretch in over 10 years (about two months) when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and within a week of the associated uncertainty, fear, lockdowns, and general life chaos, all my progress was gone.

I was so proud of myself, too.

I’d even had about eight tallboy cans of beer that I’d received as a gift sitting in my cupboard for eight weeks, untouched.

Believe me, having alcohol in my house that remained untouched for any length of time was a feat at that point in my life.

As it became apparent that life wouldn’t be getting back to normal any time soon, I caved.

Gone were the beers, and gone was my commitment to quit alcohol.

As I’ve written before, I’m a person who needs to keep busy at all times or I’ll get myself into trouble.

That’s just life with a restless, ADHD brain. I think it’s why a lot of creative people like actors, writers, musicians, etc. struggle with addiction.

So, with the world shut down and everyone locked in their homes, booze saw an opening.

My favourite phrase at the time: “COVID is huge for casual alcoholism.”

Alcohol is indifferent to success

Gwyneth Paltrow experienced this phenomenon when COVID hit too.

I was catching up on my podcasts this week and heard a great 2021 interview with Paltrow on Smartless.

In it, she talked at length about her acting career, her entrepreneurial activities via the lifestyle brand goop, and other general life topics. She also touched on how she managed during lockdown, which was top of mind at the time.

She told the hosts: “I like alcohol, but also, I’ve been on a bit of a cleanout. Basically during quarantine I was drinking seven nights a week and making pasta and eating bread. Like I went totally off the rails. I mean, who drinks multiple drinks, seven nights a week? That’s not healthy.”

I feel you, Gwyneth.

Fortunately, she kicked the daily drinking habit before it had a chance to really take hold.

If only we were all so lucky. I effectively became an almost daily drinker again after the longest period of sobriety that I could remember.

When gyms opened up again I got back on track temporarily, but every time there was another shutdown, it was back to square one.

I really do feel like we’ll never truly understand how much damage the lockdown cycles did to people’s mental health and how much it pumped up the destructive effects of addiction.

Paltrow’s story just goes to show you that alcohol doesn’t discriminate, either.

It doesn’t care if you’re a doctor or a dishwasher, if you live in a mansion or on the street.

The fact that it tricked a rich, successful, driven, happy individual like Gwyneth Paltrow into consuming it daily — and eventually more than she wanted to — is evidence of that.

But just as with Paltrow, it is possible for you to ditch it and find light on the other side.

I did it and you can too.

In lockdown, we all felt trapped.

Now, the world and its endless possibilities are open to you! What awesome thing will you accomplish today?

Thank you so much for reading this story! I hope you enjoyed it and it encourages you to keep going with your own sober journey. If so, please give it a clap or two so others can find it!