Depresh Mode with John Moe J. Kenji Lopez-Alt on Food, Booze, Weed, Anxiety, Depression, and Living a Healthy Life
20 snips
Mar 17, 2025 
J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, an award-winning food writer and New York Times columnist, shares his candid journey with addiction and mental health. He reflects on how alcohol initially helped with social anxiety but eventually led to dependency. Kenji discusses his decision to get sober in his mid-40s, emphasizing the disconnect between societal stereotypes of addiction and his own success. He highlights the importance of community support during recovery and the transformative journey to healthier coping mechanisms.
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Alcohol and Social Anxiety
- J. Kenji Lopez-Alt's alcohol use began in college to cope with social anxiety.
- It shifted from occasional use to daily drinking by age 19, continuing for over two decades.
Anxiety, Not Depression
- J. Kenji Lopez-Alt primarily used alcohol to manage anxiety, not depression.
- He explains that his depression was circumstantial, linked to life choices and unhappiness.
Anxiety and ADHD
- Lopez-Alt's anxiety stemmed from social and relationship worries, amplified by undiagnosed ADHD.
- Alcohol and marijuana initially provided temporary relief from these anxieties.
