Why are we talking about menopause on a site that celebrates pop culture?
Because 6,000 people in the United States enter menopause every single day. That’s more than 1.3 million a year. And many of them are doing it while still raising kids, holding down jobs, navigating relationships and recovering from trauma. And for more than a few, trying to figure out if that glass of wine is still “working” the way it used to.
Perimenopause, the long and often confusing lead-up to menopause, can begin as much as 10 years before that final period. Yet most people are caught off guard when it starts. They don’t know what’s happening. They’re tired. They’re angry. They can’t sleep. They’re reaching for coping mechanisms that used to help, but don’t anymore.
This is why it mattered so deeply that “The Menopause Revolution” aired on primetime TV. Produced by Oprah Winfrey and featuring Naomi Watts, Halle Berry and a panel of doctors, researchers and real people, the special did something our culture has rarely done: it looked directly at the realities of menopause without shame or sensationalism.
Watts and Berry, in particular, used their platforms to disrupt the long-held stigma around menopause as something women must suffer in silence. Berry shared openly about the lack of care from her doctor and spoke truth to the physical, emotional and spiritual struggle she endured in isolation. This wasn’t a clinical info-dump. It was a cultural reckoning.
And still, something was missing.
The Silence Around Alcohol
I watched the special and felt waves of relief and recognition. I also felt heartbreak. Because even in this hour-long cultural reset, one topic remained unspoken: alcohol.
I don’t believe the omission was intentional. In fact, the show named, with clarity and courage, how women’s health is consistently underfunded and misunderstood. But the absence of any mention of alcohol felt loud. Not because I was waiting for a “gotcha” moment, but because I live and work in the space where that silence becomes suffering.
As a sobriety coach, I hear from women every day who are moving through perimenopause with a glass of wine in hand and no idea why it hits so differently now. They’re drinking to cope with hot flashes, exhaustion and anxiety. They’re drinking because their sleep is wrecked, because their bodies feel foreign, because they’re grieving something they can’t quite name. And no one told them that alcohol might be making it worse.
What I See in My Work
I’m not a medical expert. I don’t speak from a clinical or biochemical lens. But I do know what I see:
- Women whose alcohol tolerance suddenly shifts. One drink hits like three. The hangover — and hangxiety — lingers for days.
- Women who’ve relied on alcohol to ease anxiety or insomnia and now find it intensifying both.
- Women who feel like they’re unraveling but blame themselves, not the wine. They don’t know the rules have changed.
- And I see women who start to feel better. Not instantly, but gradually, when they cut back or stop drinking. They don’t return to who they were at 30. They become someone more rooted. More awake. More curious about what’s possible in this season of life.
What We’re Learning
While the medical science isn’t my wheelhouse, I do follow it. Recent research from University College London found women are 40 percent more likely to experience depression during perimenopause than before.
We also know that as we age, our bodies contain less water and metabolize alcohol more slowly, making a single drink feel stronger and last longer, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Other research from University Hospitals highlights how this metabolic shift, combined with hormonal fluctuations, can amplify symptoms like insomnia, anxiety and even hot flashes — making alcohol not only less helpful but potentially harmful during this transition.
None of this was mentioned in the special. But I hope future conversations make space for it. Because for many women, this is not a side issue. It’s a central part of their story.
Let’s Keep Going
Menopause is not a crisis. But the way we’ve hidden it, silenced it and shamed it? That’s the crisis. And alcohol, for many, has become both a symptom and a strategy. Until it stops working. Until it makes everything harder.
That’s why this conversation belongs in pop culture. Because pop culture shapes how we see ourselves. It shapes what we’re allowed to speak out loud. It shapes whether we think our pain is personal or part of something bigger.
“The Menopause Revolution” cracked open a long-locked door. Let’s keep going. Let’s say what’s still being left out. Let’s name the coping tools that hurt more than help. Not to shame, not to scold, but to offer one another real relief. Real connection. Real permission to feel better than we’ve been taught to expect.
Sober Curator Fun Fact: Stay tuned! The Sober Curator podcast will be launching a bonus buzz episode with The Sober Curator Menopausse Ballers!
THIRSTY FOR WONDER: Anne Marie Cribben is a passionate recovery coach and spiritual companion based in Washington, DC. As the founder of Thirsty For Wonder, she offers 1:1 coaching, spiritual companionship, and recovery support rooted in compassion and empowerment. Creator of The Wellspring: A Celtic Recovery Journey, Anne Marie blends the Celtic calendar with sobriety, connecting participants to ancient wisdom and nature’s rhythms. A fierce advocate for sobriety as liberation and self-love, Anne Marie challenges the targeted marketing of alcohol to women and promotes authentic, joyful living. Her approach goes beyond addiction recovery, fostering a life of vibrancy and fulfillment.
In her personal life, Anne Marie enjoys baking, cooking, poetry, being a Swiftie, weight lifting, reading, embroidery, and creating mocktails. She treasures time with friends and embraces creativity in all forms.
Getting sober is one thing, but staying sober? That’s where the real adventure begins. Welcome to The Sober Curator Podcast, where ditching booze doesn’t mean ditching fun, pop culture, or your social life. Hosted by Alysse Bryson and joined by the MANY Sober Curator Contributors—media powerhouse and queen of making sobriety cool—each episode brings bold conversations, pop culture deep dives, and insider tips for thriving in a zero-proof lifestyle. From celeb interviews to zero-proof cocktails, expect laughs, honesty, and zero preachy vibes. Sober or sober-curious? Pull up a seat—this party’s just getting started!
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