Ep 8 - From anxious to alcohol-free, with Jill Stark

This week we’re so excited to share with you this interview with Jill Stark. Jill is a best-selling author, award-winning journalist, and passionate mental health advocate. Her first book, High Sobriety: My Year Without Booze, charted her year off the sauce and highlighted Australia’s obsession with alcohol. The book catapulted her into a life of media attention and parties - she was living the dream. And then it all fell apart. This led Jill to question the narrative on what it means to be successful and she wrote the book ‘Happy Never After’ in which Jill turns the happiness fairytale on it’s head and swaps the ‘quick fix’ approach to mental ill health for the long road back to herself. Part of that journey for Jill was to question her relationship once again with alcohol and last year she decided to cut it out of her life for the foreseeable future. The link between her anxiety and her drinking was just too much to ignore. We talk to Jill about her journey to where she is now, how booze is implicated in mental health and the state of booze culture in our society. We hope you enjoy! If you are struggling you can contact the following organisations: Beyond Blue - https://www.beyondblue.org.au/ They have a dedicated Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service - https://coronavirus.beyondblue.org.au/ You can find Jill on the socials: Instagram: @jillstark__ and on her website: https://jillstark.com.au/ Here is a link to an incredible piece she wrote for Beyond Blue: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/personal-best/pillar/in-focus/am-i-normal-hangover-anxiety