THEY NO LONGER BAFFLE US –
Mar. 5, 2026 – While the three-martini lunch seems improbable today, workplaces still can be boozy places. After-work happy hours, corporate parties and client meetings at fancy bars are still expected in many areas of American corporate culture. Talking about sobriety with managers and colleagues therefore can be daunting for people in recovery from alcohol addiction. Professionals in some industries fear being judged for needing help or missing out on career advancement opportunities if social drinking is encouraged as part of a job.
Treatment professionals and individuals who have navigated careers while abstaining from alcohol say such anxieties are natural but must not get in the way of uncomfortable conversations or other actions that promote a successful recovery.
“If you’re sober and in recovery, nothing’s worth risking putting your sobriety at risk,” said Lisa Smith, a former lawyer who struggled with drug and alcohol addiction as she worked at a prestigious law firm in New York.
