She Never Drank, But Alcohol Shaped Everything - Casey Conrad

She Got Sober but Her Life Didn't Reset - Kayla's Story

This episode is not a clean, tied-up sobriety story. Kayla shares what it actually looked like from drinking at 12, to years of alcohol and cocaine use, to a car crash that could’ve ended everything. Sobriety didn’t come from a decision. It came from consequences, court, and being forced to stop. Three years later, she’s still here. Still sober. Still figuring it out. We talk about: * Growing up around chaos and how that shaped everything * Drinking that started as fun and turned into escape * Anger, fights, and losing real relationships * The night that led to a DUI, surgery, and drug court * Why sobriety doesn’t automatically make life better * Depression, identity loss, and mental health in recovery * Learning how to live without numbing everything out * What keeps her from picking up a drink now This is a conversation about the part people don’t always talk about what happens after you stop drinking. If you’re struggling, questioning things, or just trying to figure out your next step… this one’s for you. Welcome to Young and Sober... for the sober confident, the sober curious, and the sober-ish.

She Never Drank, But Alcohol Shaped Everything - Casey Conrad

This episode is a perspective on addiction that doesn’t get talked about enough the people who grow up around it. I sat down with Casey Conrad, a respected voice in the health and wellness space and author of Bitter or Better, to talk about what it was actually like being raised by an alcoholic mother. From the outside, her childhood looked normal, but everything shifted when her mom’s drinking became impossible to ignore. At just 12, Casey stepped into the role of caretaker learning how to manage chaos, keep the peace, and suppress her own emotions. It wasn’t until college that she realized her experience wasn’t normal. What makes her story different is that she never picked up a drink. But even without alcohol, the impact showed up in her anger, independence, relationships, and the way she moved through the world. Now, after decades in the health and wellness industry, Casey has built a life centered around growth and helping others do the same. In her book Bitter or Better, she shares how she turned a difficult upbringing into something meaningful. In this episode, we talk about: * Growing up with an alcoholic parent * Emotional suppression and anger * Hyper-independence and control * Breaking the cycle without becoming the addict * And what it actually means to choose better over bitter This episode isn’t just about addiction it’s about what it leaves behind.

The Sobriety Date that Came Back Around - Jasmine's Story

On this episode of Young & Sober, Sydney sits down with her friend Jasmine to talk about the long road that finally led her to one year sober. Jasmine’s story starts with severe anxiety and agoraphobia as a teenager, which led to a benzodiazepine prescription that quickly spiraled into addiction. What followed were years of alcohol, drugs, destructive relationships, psychosis, and repeated attempts to get sober that never quite stuck. She shares openly about losing custody of her daughter, surviving violent relationships, experiencing drug-induced psychosis, and relapsing just two weeks before reaching a year sober. Now at 37, Jasmine has finally reached one full year of sobriety. This episode is about hitting bottom more than once, rebuilding a life from the ground up, and what finally changed when nothing else had worked before. Finally building a life worth living.

I kept going back out until I couldn't - Sarah's Story

Sarah got sober at 22, but it wasn’t a straight line to get there. In this episode, she shares how drinking started at 14 and immediately became more than “just partying.” What began as weekend fun slowly turned into blackouts, fights with friends, getting arrested in college, dropping out, detoxes, and three separate stays in rehab. We talk about: • The denial that followed every wake-up call • Why jail didn’t make her stop • Relapsing after 60 and 90 days • Dating in early sobriety (and why that imploded) • The difference between drinking for fun and drinking to disappear • What finally clicked the third time around Sarah opens up about probation, sober living, rebuilding trust with her parents, losing friendships, and what it’s like being a young woman trying to get sober in a world where alcohol is everywhere. Her sobriety date is January 14, 2025. Today she’s back in college studying psychology and planning to work in recovery. This episode is about what happens when you keep trying. Even when you keep falling short. And what it looks like when something finally sticks. Young & Sober. for the sober, the sober curious, and the sober-ish.

Starting Over Early: Life before and after Alcohol

For video episodes, you can find this conversation on YouTube. www.youtube.com/@YoungandSober [http://www.youtube.com/@YoungandSober] In this solo episode, I’m sharing the full timeline of my experience with addiction who I was before it took over, what my life actually looked like while I was in it, and what changed after I got sober. I talk about the early behaviors I brushed off, the patterns that slowly became normal, and the way addiction reshaped my relationships, priorities, and sense of self. I also share what it felt like living in survival mode for so long, and how hard it was to admit that the life I was building wasn’t sustainable anymore. This episode isn’t about a dramatic rock bottom or a clean redemption arc. It’s about the messy middle, the denial, the fear, the moments of clarity that didn’t last, and the quiet shift that eventually led me to choose sobriety. If you’re questioning your relationship with alcohol, or recognizing pieces of yourself in this story, you’re not alone.