Drew Barrymore is being up about her experience of the “liberating” sensation that comes with sobriety.
The 47-year-old actress and television host shared a personal piece in her magazine Drew, where she discussed her history with drinking and how she has been putting self-care first.
“Maybe our definition of love changes throughout our lives, but I truly believe so much love goes outward,” Barrymore wrote, per Entertainment Tonight. “And it can feel selfish to turn that spotlight on ourselves. To make room for me? It just doesn’t track sometimes.”
“One of the bravest things you can do is slay those dragons and finally change an awful cycle in which you’ve found yourself stuck,” she continued. “For me, it was to stop drinking.”
“One of the most liberating things in my journey of life,” according to Barrymore, has been giving up alcohol, which has enabled her “to finally become free of the torture of guilt and dysfunction.” She also urged people to put their needs and needs first.
“During the holidays, when we spend so much energy trying to measure up to the picture-perfect standards set by the Norman Rockwells of the world, I’d like for you to try to remember to give yourself a pass — a hug, as it were — and I will try, too,” she wrote.Â
“Take a moment, take a breath, and give yourself a squeeze. We’re all just doing our best out here. And that in and of itself is something to celebrate.”