Drinking to Distraction

by Jenna Hollenstein

She never drove or worked drunk, never injured herself or someone else, never woke up next to a strange man, was fired, went bankrupt, or became homeless because of her drinking. But for years Jenna Hollenstein worried that she was using alcohol for the wrong reasons. Though it didn't cause her to spiral out of control, drinking seemed to be detracting from her life in subtler missed opportunities, unaddressed fears, challenges not taken, relationships not cherished, and creativity unexplored. Rather than a series of dramatic events often associated with alcoholism, her decision to stop drinking was based on years of introspection, pros and cons lists, and conversations with friends, family, and a wise therapist. Though she never "hit bottom," Hollenstein eventually realized that drinking was not enhancing her it was distracting her from it.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction

98 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 20, 2013

About the author

Jenna Hollenstein, MS, RDN, CDN, is an anti-diet dietitian-nutritionist, certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, speaker, meditation teacher, and author of five books, including Eat to Love and Intuitive Eating for Life. She blends Intuitive Eating with mindfulness to help people transform food and body shame into joyful eating and movement.

Jenna weaves together science and practicality to help people:

Understand how, when, and why they started mistrusting their bodies

Deprogram false and harmful messages of body shame

Reconnect with sensation, sensuality, and bodily intelligence

Feed themselves physically, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually

Think differently about dieting, exercise, alcohol, and addictions

Counteract disruptive and problematic thoughts and behaviors

Heal in order to live with joy and purpose

Tolerate and ultimately work with uncomfortable feelings

Discover delight, notice everyday magic, and feel fully alive

Jenna received a Bachelor of Science degree in nutrition from Penn State University and a Master of Science degree in nutrition from Tufts University. She has trained in numerous integrative modalities, including polyvagal theory, somatic self-compassion, trauma-sensitive mindfulness, and embodied social justice.

Jenna has spoken at universities, retreat centers, and extensively online for both consumer and clinician audiences. Her work has been featured in the The New York Times, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, U.S. News & World Report, Yoga Journal, Health, Self, Lion’s Roar, Mindful, Vogue, Elle, Glamour, and Women’s World.

Reviews

[Niffer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book through a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.

I got this book yesterday and decided to start reading it because it was pretty short (about 80 pages). I finished it within an hour but really didn't know what to write for the review. I thought I'd sleep on it. But this morning I'm still not sure what to say.

I guess there's a part of me that feels that this book addresses some important issues about alcoholism. The author talks about hos she never really hit rock bottom--she was never arrested, never in a car accident, never missed work, etc., due to her drinking. As a result it was hard for her to really feel like she was validated in saying that she had a drinking problem. I suspect there are a lot of other people in her situation who need to read her words to understand that alcoholism isn't always blatantly in your face. Sometimes it's a lot more subtle. But even if it isn't the alcoholism we recognize from TV shows, subtle alcoholism can be just as devastating to the individual and should be a concern.

That being said, there isn't a lot of meat to this book. I don't know if it's because of the nature of the author's issues or if it's because the author really didn't have a lot to say. I felt some sympathy for her (especially at her feeling of rejection at group sessions), but I didn't ever really feel drawn into her story. As a result, I didn't really feel a sense of "wow, she did it!" at the end of the book when it was obvious she was succeeding in her life change.

So while I feel like this is an important book in concept, I don't feel as though it was well presented and as a result i suspect it won't be as helpful as it might have otherwise.

Still, if you are struggling with alcoholism or if you know someone with a drinking problem and you're wondering "is this alcoholism" I think this book is worth the read.

[Linda Fairfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great read.

[Sierra Lawrence · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book through a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.

When I received the book I was surprised at how short it was, with only 82 pages.

The chapters were short and it was not your average alcoholism tale. I guess I expected the story to be different. This was not your run of the mill wasted party girl. She was a normal girl walking the line of alcoholism.

The book lacked substance, but then again, I am not an alcoholic.

If you suffer from alcoholism, or question if you do, then I might suggest it.

[Elizabeth]

I recieved this as first reads giveaway win. Kind of a quick short read. It was interesting reading about Jenna's relationship with alcohol and how she came around to the decision to quit drinking. Since she wasn't a huge drunk, but it was affecting her life in many ways, she didn't have the obvious "hitting bottom" that so many hard drinkers have happen. But it was a great decision she made and the story was good and probably will resonate with many.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got a lot out of this book.. And I want more! I felt the chapters ended too quickly, and then I read that the book came from a blog. Ah, now I understand. It has a bloggy feel. It could use more meat, more story. Still, I love what she has to say about her insights into drinking: that she used it to manipulate her experiences, and the key was a loving, accepting compassion for herself, for others, for "what is"-- punctuated with humor.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicely written. Good story. Easy read.

[Severance Biro · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting to see the author's thought process as she approached her problem and decided to deal with it before anything drastic happened. I think that the fact that she didn't hit rock bottom and still was able to recognize that she had a problem makes her experiences more relatable, as they can be applied to a variety of situations.

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.

[Barbara Andrews]

Received this book from Goodreads First Read. Was interesting how author told story. Good book to give someone who might have a problem with drinking. Its not judgmental has a way of making you see what your life could be like thru someone thats been there'

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of the author's blog postings, this book is easy and quick to read. The author makes a pretty good case for why she decided to stop drinking without hitting a dramatic bottom in her life, but by stepping back and reflecting on the reasons she was drinking...

[Jenny Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short but interesting.

[Tracey Lamm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Resonance

As I struggle to come to terms with my own abusive relationship with alcohol . . . So much of this book resonates with me. Definitely a good read

[Brian Chalmers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short read, discovering meditation as an aid to recovery after a slow descent into alcohol dependency