J. Kenji Lopez-Alt on Food, Booze, Weed, Anxiety, Depression, and Living a Healthy Life
Mar 17, 2025
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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.
J. Kenji Lopez-Alt's journey reveals that mental health disorders can be hidden, as many function normally despite internal struggles.
His experience with alcohol highlights how casual drinking can evolve into dependency, often unnoticed until it impacts mental well-being.
Post-sobriety, Kenji emphasizes the importance of community support and new coping strategies to address anxiety and depression constructively.
Deep dives
Understanding Mental Illness
The podcast emphasizes that not all individuals with mental health disorders present obvious signs. Many people with depression, anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive disorder function normally in their daily lives, such as going to work or school, making it difficult to detect their struggles. This demonstrates that mental health issues can manifest in various ways, and stereotypes often misrepresent the experiences of those affected. The conversation encourages a more nuanced understanding of mental illnesses, highlighting that external appearances do not always reflect internal battles.
Kenji Lopez-Alt's Journey with Alcohol
J. Kenji Lopez-Alt discusses his long relationship with alcohol, which began in college as a means to alleviate social anxiety. Over the years, this casual drinking evolved into a daily habit that lasted for decades, impacting his mental well-being and personal relationships. Although he was a functional alcoholic, capable of maintaining a successful career, he struggled with internal conflicts about his drinking habits. Kenji's experience highlights the insidious nature of addiction, where the gradual descent into dependency can often go unnoticed.
Impact of Sobriety on Well-being
Post-sobriety, Kenji reflects on the challenges he faced, including the resurgence of problems he had previously masked with alcohol. He notes that becoming sober brought not just a craving for control, but also anxiety and depression to the forefront, requiring new strategies for management. Over time, he discovered healthier coping mechanisms, including therapy and medication, to address his mental health issues and anxiety. This transformation underscores the importance of confronting underlying problems rather than relying on substances to cope.
The Role of Community in Recovery
Kenji shares how engaging with others in recovery aided his journey to sobriety, revealing the support available in the recovery community. He advocates for reaching out to friends, sponsors, and fellow recovering individuals to help navigate the triggers and challenges that arise during sobriety. Additionally, he emphasizes the value of sharing one’s struggles, which can foster community and understanding. This communal approach helps dismantle the stigma surrounding addiction and encourages open conversations about mental health.
Looking Forward with Optimism
The conversation concludes with Kenji expressing a newfound clarity and optimism about his future post-sobriety. He recognizes the importance of honesty with himself and others, freeing himself from the burden of secrecy related to his past drinking. By acknowledging his issues and seeking help, Kenji has started to build a healthier lifestyle based on openness and support. This forward-looking perspective illustrates the positive changes that come with recovery and the potential for personal growth through challenges.
The alcohol, says J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, came about in young adulthood, when it solved persistent social anxiety and made him the life of the party. As Kenji found tremendous success in food writing and restaurateuring, he found that he couldn’t really make it through the day without downing between two and five drinks. This wasn’t hard to pull off in the food business, surrounded by booze and a culture that heartily encouraged its consumption. Kenji found that, as is so often the case with mental health, that the reality of the condition didn’t match the drunken messy stereotype: his work wasn’t harmed, he had strong relationships and a family. It’s just that he was an addict. Finally, just a few months ago and in his mid-40’s, he decided to get sober.
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