The rise of the “Sober-ish” guy explains why men are drinking less, choosing balance, and redefining modern social life.
This isn’t Dry January. It isn’t a wellness cleanse, a moral reset, or a social media badge of honor. It’s quieter than that. Across bars, dates, living rooms, and stadium couches, more men are simply drinking less — without announcing it, apologizing for it, or calling it sobriety. We are in the era of the rise of the “Sober-ish” guy.
The “sober-ish” guy isn’t abstinent. He still goes out. He still watches the game. He still orders something interesting at the bar. He’s just done feeling like trash the next morning.
What’s changing isn’t masculinity or morality — it’s tolerance. Not physical tolerance, but lifestyle tolerance. Men in their 30s, 40s, and 50s are realizing alcohol’s upside no longer outweighs its downside. Poor sleep. Lingering anxiety. Weight gain. Foggy mornings. The cost is now obvious, and the payoff feels smaller.
Unlike past anti-drinking movements, this shift isn’t driven by doctors or public health campaigns. It’s driven by lived experience. Men don’t want to quit fun — they want to quit the hangover, the bloat, the irritability, and the creeping sense one night out derails three days of productivity.
This is where “sober-ish” culture finds its footing. Instead of quitting alcohol entirely, men are editing it out of certain moments. Weeknights. Work dinners. First dates. Long flights. Sunday afternoons. Alcohol becomes optional rather than automatic.
Cannabis, particularly low-dose and socially acceptable formats, is increasingly filling the gap. For some men, it functions as a cleaner social lubricant — something which takes the edge off without hijacking the next day. A drink used to be the default way to relax, bond, or celebrate. Now, a mild edible or vape can play a similar role without the physical tax.
This shift is already reshaping social spaces. Bars are adapting with better non-alcoholic cocktails, THC-friendly patios in legal states, and menus assuming not everyone wants a buzz ending in regret. On dates, ordering something other than alcohol is no longer a red flag — it’s often a quiet signal of self-awareness. Watching sports no longer requires a six-pack; it requires something keeping energy up rather than dragging it down.
Festivals, once defined by excess, are also adjusting. Hydration stations, cannabis lounges, and sober-curious programming acknowledge a crowd wanting stimulation without self-sabotage. The culture of endurance drinking — proving you can outlast everyone else — is losing relevance.
Importantly, this isn’t about virtue. Men aren’t trying to be better than anyone else. They’re trying to feel better. They still want connection, laughter, looseness, and shared rituals. They just want them without the aftermath.
The rise of the sober-ish guy reflects a broader cultural recalibration. Alcohol hasn’t disappeared, but its monopoly on male social life has cracked. In its place is something more flexible, more individualized, and more honest.
Men aren’t sober. They’re just done feeling like trash.
Joseline Hernandez Shares Sentimental Message & Reveals She’s Three Years Sober
Last week, Hernandez took to Instagram to share a video post with her followers. Furthermore, the clip showed her boxing in an apparent home gym.
“3 years off that nose candy. 3 years of clear mind. 3 years of solitude. My mind is clear and the body is Strong. I thank god everyday I didn’t loose my life to the white girl. Young girls it’s not a game and it’s not worth it. Thank you guys also for those silent prayers for your fave! Me 😍 I love yall,” she captioned the video, revealing her milestone.
Peep the clip below.
Social Media Reacts
Social media users entered TSR’s comment section, sharing continued congratulations for the “Puerto Rican Princess.”
Instagram user @steviebmoody wrote, “That ‘I’m glad I didn’t lose my life to that white girl’ line is huge. Cause a lot of people weren’t fortunate enough to make it through. Proud of anyone that beats addiction 🫶🏿”
While Instagram user @king_fieldmob added, “Some of yall cant stick to nothin so im proud of her. Thats a strong mind”
Instagram user @itzmzmeka wrote, “I’m so proud of her I think her baby may have changed her life!”
While Instagram user @christenrenae added, “I love when women take their life back ❤️”
Instagram user @famouskillake wrote, “3 YEARSSSSSS … THAT BABY SAVED HER LIFE 🙏🏽❤️🤞🏽 IM REALLY PROUD OF HER GROWTH GENUINELY 🙌🏽”
While Instagram user @drhose_ added, “Outside of her being a mom, this the most beautiful thing I’ve seen from her! 🙌🏾”
Instagram user @gretzky._ wrote, “I love this ! You fought back all that matters ❤️”
While Instagram user @p.s.lovejazz added, “You know what Joseline… HELL YEA.. 👏🏾👏🏾”
Instagram user @bonqueshia8 wrote, “This the type stuff i love to see!!!! Goooo Joseline!!!!”
While Instagram user @msgritt36 added, “Proud of her and her hustle! Keep going Joseline! We rooting for you forever!!!”
While Joseline Hernandez herself stepped in to add:
“I LOVE YOU GUYS @theshaderoomWE GREW UP TOGETHER. ITS BEEN A LONG RIDE! Thank you for supporting me every step of the way!!!!”
Before Sharing Her Three-Year Milestone, Joseline Hernandez Detailed Her Previous Sober Highlights
As The Shade Room previously reported, in June 2023, Joseline Hernandez revealed that she had performed sober for the first time.
Then, in November of 2024, Hernandez celebrated her 38th birthday and one year of sobriety, per The Shade Room.
Professional skateboarder turned entrepreneur finds his home and launches innovative non-alcoholic brew company, Easy Does It Brew, in the Media Capital.
Erik Ellington has traveled the world as a professional skateboarder, lived in multiple states, and built successful businesses from the ground up. Now he calls Burbank home and the perfect place to launch his latest venture, Easy Does It, a non-alcoholic brew that’s changing how people think about socializing and wellness.
Born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, Ellington’s journey to Burbank was anything but direct. After pursuing his skateboarding dreams in Phoenix and San Diego in the mid-90s, he eventually made his way to the LA area in the early 2000s, settling first in Studio City. But it was the search for quality public schools for his two children that ultimately brought him to Burbank in 2017.
“I grew up skateboarding in the early 2000s in Los Angeles, and I remember coming over here to skate often in the school yards. I don’t think that I got the vibe of what Burbank really was,” Ellington recalls. “But when my wife found a house here, I saw something in it that I had never seen before. Now we could not be happier.”
That initial impression has only grown stronger over the years. Today, Ellington is one of Burbank’s most enthusiastic ambassadors, frequently sharing his love for the community with friends from neighboring areas. The 48-year-old entrepreneur particularly appreciates Burbank’s unique blend of big-city accessibility with small-town charm. “We have an airport, we’re surrounded by freeways, and the accessibility of it, and still my kids can walk down the street and feel completely safe. There’s something very special about that.”
Ellington’s path to entrepreneurship began on the skateboard. After turning professional in the mid-90s, he recognized early on his passions for the behind-the-scenes work. “There’s a shelf life to something that’s physical, like with all other sports, but I always knew that I wanted to be involved in skateboarding in some way.”
In 2007-2008, he co-founded a skateboard distribution company with two partners, launching iconic brands including Baker Skateboards and Deathwish Skateboards. Today, their North Hollywood facility houses 10 brands under one roof, complete with a private skate park where Ellington still skates regularly.Never one to limit himself to a single venture, Ellington also launched Human Recreational Services in 2020, creating luxury Italian-made dress shoes, combining his passion for footwear and design.
Now, Ellington’s latest venture, Easy Does It, represents his most personal project yet. Eleven years sober, he created the non-alcoholic brew company with a clear mission: to encourage people to moderate their drinking while maintaining their social connections. “I think we’re entering into this new wave of people wanting to get out and participate and associate with others, and if I can provide a conduit for that, that doesn’t have the negative drawbacks of alcohol, then I’m gonna go in hard on it” Ellington explains. “If someone is choosing to drink less, then I want to be there for that.”
Easy Does It Brew
The inspiration struck in 2022 when Ellington tried a non-alcoholic beer while quarantined with friends who had COVID. “Something happened where I felt like I was part of the party. I was participating in it when it wasn’t anything having to do with the alcohol. It all had to do with socialization.”
Ellington’s timing couldn’t be better. According to recent industry data, the global non-alcoholic beer market is experiencing unprecedented growth, with projections showing it could reach $25 billion by 2024. The trend reflects a broader cultural shift toward wellness and mindful consumption, particularly among millennials and Gen Z consumers.
Studies show that 41% of Americans are actively trying to drink less alcohol, while 61% of millennials report participating in “sober curious” behaviors. The rise of “Dry January” and similar wellness movements has created a significant market opportunity for high-quality non-alcoholic alternatives. “I think we’re entering into this new wave of people wanting to get out and participate and associate with others,” Ellington observes. “If I can provide a conduit for that that doesn’t have the negative drawbacks of alcohol, then I’m gonna go hard on it.”
Creating a non-alcoholic beer that actually tastes like beer presented unique challenges. Ellington turned to an old friend from Alaska, Gabe Fletcher, who had become a master brewer and founded the highly respected Anchorage Brewing Company. The biggest challenge was creating a flavor profile that tastes good but didn’t have alcohol in it. After numerous pilot batches and remote collaborations between Alaska and California, they developed a unique cold-crash process that captures the essence of beer without fermentation.
Erik Eillington works on batch of Easy Does It.
The result is a golden-straw color lager, with a floral aroma, a hint of honey, smooth texture, crisp snap, and classic American taste. “I wanted something to drink when I’m working in the yard or I’m out skateboarding,” said Ellington. Easy Does It became the simple answer with just five ingredients and 65 calories. It’s light, refreshing, and something you can take with you everywhere.
Easy Does It’s branding reflects Ellington’s nostalgic appreciation for classic American beer advertising from the 1970s and 80s. “I wanted to design something that looks cool in your hand and makes you feel like you can be a part of something.” But beyond aesthetics, the company focuses on bringing people together. “Our whole motto is go hard in doing whatever it is that you do, but care about what you’re doing,” he explains.
The brand just launched in August of 2025, but is already available at numerous locations from Tony’s Darts Away and Prime Pizza in Burbank to Burden of Proof, a non-alcoholic bottle shop in Pasadena. In October, Easy Does It will make it’s way onto the shelves of 50 Albertsons, Vons, and Pavilions locations in Los Angeles. You can also shop online at www.easydoesitbrew.com.
For Ellington, Easy Does It represents more than just another business venture, it’s a way to give back to the community that has given him so much. Just as Burbank provided the perfect environment for his family to thrive, his company aims to create the perfect environment for people to connect authentically, whether they’re looking to moderate their drinking or eliminate alcohol entirely.
As Easy Does It continues to grow, Ellington remains committed to his Burbank roots, grateful for a community that embodies the same values his company promotes: authentic connections, caring for one another, and the simple pleasure of coming together over a cold drink—alcohol optional.
TRIGGER WARNING: The following images and stories from The Addict’s Diary are graphic in nature and depict drug use, alcohol use, and addiction.
If you’re in crisis, call 988, and get help today. Providing 24/7, free and confidential support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress works. The Lifeline helps thousands of people overcome crisis situations every day.
After embracing his newfound sobriety, Kodak Black is removing one of his biggest songs “Super Gremlin” from his live show setlist.
We’ve seen several versions of Kodak Black throughout the years, but hopefully, his newest one is his best yet. The South Florida rapper has reportedly found sobriety and is switching up his habits heading forward.
According to Complex, part of his new clean lifestyle will include eliminating songs encouraging drug use from his live show. One song that seems to haunt him is “Super Gremlin” in which he famously raps “I knew the Perc’ was fake, but I still ate it.”
“It’s sad though, bruh, because it’s like that sh*t — the bar came to mind so quick,” he told an audience at a recent show. “I’m like, ‘Damn, I don’t wanna say this sh*t, but I know this b***h gon’ go in.’ But we ain’t gon’ play like that, bruh. When I was at my stage, chewing on them Percs, I ain’t gonna say I popped them b***hes.”
“But when I was at my stage, I was chewing like — bruh, I swear to God and my n***as will vouch — I was chewing 100 Percs a day, man. Average like 40. Average!”
“If I was f**king with them fake sh*ts, bruh, I’d have been dead. Bruh, I say that, I’m explaining myself now. I don’t want y’all to hear that and take that and feel like it’s okay to do that sh*t, ya feel me?”
Now that Kodak has a clear mind, he understands his music’s impact on his fans and wants to steer them in a better direction. Hopefully opening up about his sobriety will inspire his fans to do the same.
You can watch him explain why he won’t perform “Super Gremlin” going forward below.
I know it’s not really a big feat but I’ve not gone a full week without drinking in about 2 months. I’m shooting to stay sober all of January, and maybe February too. So far, so good. Will see how it goes but I kinda wanted to tell someone because I’m proud of myself
Mama June won’t stand by letting people make up rumors about her sobriety!
After the reality TV star went live on TikTok recently, fans quickly became concerned she was getting high or taking drugs during the livestream. Why? Because she kept bending off-camera as she ranted about people trashing her online. This made viewers fear for what she was doing off-screen — but she insists it was nothing nefarious!
Clapping back at the allegations, the 44-year-old, full name June Shannon, denied all the speculation, telling TMZ on Friday:
“I have been straight sober since Jan 27, 2020. I don’t do drugs, I don’t smoke cigarettes and I don’t even drink.”
Oh, phew! That’s almost three years, too. Amazing!
As for all the concerning behavior, she said she was cooking while also bending down to read the comments — something that has become harder for her to do since she is blind in her right eye. And if fans needed any more proof, the matriarch revealed she is required to take weekly drug tests for the production of Mama June: From Not to Hot, and she’s never failed one. She said:
“That doesn’t keep me clean, I keep me clean.”
So great to hear! We all know she’s had a really serious problem with substance abuse in her past — an addiction that led her to spend over $1 million on cocaine. So the fact she’s been sober for years is a relief! Especially now that she deals with the devastating loss of her daughter Anna “Chickadee” Cardwell.
I’ve had worse withdrawals, but God damn getting sober has taken away all will to live. I feel like **** in a new and different way that’s somehow almost worse. It’s almost like drastically altering your brain chemistry will effect your emotions or something.
THURSDAY, Oct. 20, 2022 (HealthDay News) – Just a few years ago, “Friends” actor Matthew Perry almost died from opioid overuse that nearly destroyed his colon and almost killed him.
Now, he’s sober and wants to tell his story.
Perry has written a memoir, “Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing,” which will be published Nov. 1.
“I wanted to share when I was safe from going into the dark side of everything again,” Perry told the magazine PEOPLE. “I had to wait until I was pretty safely sober — and away from the active disease of alcoholism and addiction — to write it all down. And the main thing was, I was pretty certain that it would help people.”
Perry shares that he has gone to rehab 15 times, but he doesn’t say how long he’s been sober.
“It’s important, but if you lose your sobriety, it doesn’t mean you lose all that time and education,” he says. “Your sober date changes, but that’s all that changes. You know everything you knew before, as long as you were able to fight your way back without dying, you learn a lot.”
Perry talks about how his alcohol addiction was just beginning when he was 24 and cast on the TV show “Friends.” Perry, now 53, played Chandler Bing on the show.
“I could handle it, kind of. But by the time I was 34, I was really entrenched in a lot of trouble,” he admits. “But there were years that I was sober during that time. Season 9 was the year that I was sober the whole way through. And guess which season I got nominated for best actor? I was like, ‘That should tell me something.’”
Among his lows during the “Friends” years were when he was taking 55 Vicodin a day and weighed only 128 pounds.
“I didn’t know how to stop,” Perry says. “If the police came over to my house and said, ‘If you drink tonight, we’re going to take you to jail,’ I’d start packing. I couldn’t stop because the disease and the addiction is progressive. So it gets worse and worse as you grow older.”
His cast mates were aware of his conditions and patiently propped him up.
“It’s like penguins. Penguins, in nature, when one is sick, or when one is very injured, the other penguins surround it and prop it up. They walk around it until that penguin can walk on its own. That’s kind of what the cast did for me.”
A few years ago, at age 49, Perry nearly died because of his addiction. His colon burst from opioid overuse, causing him to spend two weeks in a coma, five months hospitalized and to use a colostomy bag for nine months.
“The doctors told my family that I had a 2% chance to live,” Perry told PEOPLE. “I was put on a thing called an ECMO machine, which does all the breathing for your heart and your lungs. And that’s called a Hail Mary. No one survives that.”
Perry said he’s now healthy and that scars on his stomach remind him of his journey to sobriety.
“I’m pretty healthy now,” Perry said, before joking, “I’ve got to not go to the gym much more, because I don’t want to only be able to play superheroes. But no, I’m a pretty healthy guy right now.”
Perry said his therapist suggested that when he thinks about taking Oxycontin, he think about the possibility of having a colostomy bag for the rest of his life.
“And a little window opened and I crawled through it and I no longer want Oxycontin anymore,” Perry said.
Perry, the only survivor among five people put on an ECMO machine at his hospital the night his lengthy stay began, is determined to help others who struggle with addiction.
“I say in the book that if I did die, it would shock people, but it wouldn’t surprise anybody. And that’s a very scary thing to be living with. So my hope is that people will relate to it, and know that this disease attacks everybody. It doesn’t matter if you’re successful or not successful, the disease doesn’t care,” Perry said.
He has learned “everything starts with sobriety. Because if you don’t have sobriety, you’re going to lose everything that you put in front of it, so my sobriety is right up there,” he says. “I’m an extremely grateful guy. I’m grateful to be alive, that’s for sure. And that gives me the possibility to do anything.”
More information
The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration can help people struggling with addiction.
Book signing fundraiser to benefit NYC-based non-profit BIGVISION Community, a sober peer-to-peer lifeline.
Press Release –
Oct 18, 2022 14:04 EDT
NEW YORK, October 18, 2022 (Newswire.com)
– Award-winning TV host of Wake Up with Marci and author Marci Hopkins will be signing copies of her new book, “Chaos to Clarity: Seeing the Signs and Breaking the Cycles” at KYU 324 Lafayette Street, NYC, on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022, from 2:30 to 4:30 pm to raise funds for the NYC-based non-profit BIGVISION Community, a sober peer-to-peer lifeline that has helped 10,000+ young people 18-35 sustain their recovery. To be part of this giveback experience, a $100 donation will include a signed copy of “Chaos to Clarity: Seeing the Signs and Breaking the Cycles,” bubbling non-alcoholic beverages by De Soi and Amethyst NA Spirits, delectable bites by KYU, and a gift bag worth $150+, including a bottle of delicious squeezable Mighty Sesame Organic Tahini, and spectacular Parrano Cheese, where Parmesan meets Gouda. Interested attendees can Purchase tickets here.
“We are honored and deeply grateful that Marci selected us to be the benefactor of this exciting and inspiring event,” says BIGVISION Community founder Eve Goldberg. Eve lost her 23 years young son Isaac to an accidental opioid overdose in 2014. She founded BIGVISION in 2015 to prevent other parents from experiencing the same tragedy. BIGVISION redefines recovery as exciting and fun by providing young people free in-person and virtual activities to discover new passions, learn life skills, live productive lives, and represent a new normal—be proud of your recovery! For more information, visit www.bigvisioncommunity.com.
Marci is passionate about supporting BIGVISION because she believes “the younger you are, the more support you need to sustain early and long-term recovery.” Marci herself faced the consequences of her drinking at a young age (21) and strongly believes that access to a community such as BIGVISION, at that time in her life, would have helped her maintain sobriety instead of battling her addiction for over 30 more years.
As a sexual abuse survivor and seven years sober, Marci is a fearless voice on television committed to changing lives as an authority on recovery and spreading hope and joy. “Wake Up with Marci” airs on WLNY/CBS 10/55 in the Tri-State area at 10 am on Saturdays. For more information, visit www.wakeupwithmarci.com.
“I felt called to write my memoir/self-help book, Chaos to Clarity: Seeing the Signs and Breaking the Cycles, for those struggling with depression, self-hatred, substance abuse, childhood trauma, and more. It is okay to own past behaviors and habits and move from victim to survivor. The journey is about uncovering the root beneath addiction and creating your most fulfilling life through introspective work, prompts, education, and action items,” says Marci.
For those who want to join BIGVISION Community, donate, or support and create events, go to www.bigvisioncommunity.com.
