Chrissy Teigen is opening up about something many people struggle with but few discuss publicly: relapse.
The model and television personality recently shared her journey back to sobriety after drinking again following more than a year of abstinence.
In a candid Instagram post, Teigen revealed she’s now 52 days sober and explained the slippery slope that led her back to old patterns.
Her honest account sheds light on why relapse happens and how recovery isn’t always a straight line.
The Mindful Drinking Trap
After maintaining sobriety for over a year, Teigen thought she could reintroduce alcohol into her life differently this time.
I promised myself it would be in a ‘mindful’ way. I wanted to be able to have a glass of wine on a date night with my husband.
The concept of mindful drinking has gained traction in recent years, suggesting people can moderate their alcohol consumption through awareness and intentionality. For Teigen, married to musician John Legend since 2013, it seemed like a reasonable middle ground.
She wanted to toast on birthdays and enjoy special moments with wine. But what started as occasional celebratory drinks quickly evolved into something more concerning.
When Reward Becomes Routine
Teigen identified a critical mistake in her thinking: connecting alcohol with celebration and reward.
How lucky I am to have the life I have—I want to enjoy it! And I think that was my first problem. Tying drinking to reward or like some sort of life prize.
This mental link between alcohol and enjoying life’s blessings is remarkably common. Many people justify drinking as part of celebrating their accomplishments or appreciating good fortune.
But for those with problematic drinking patterns, this association can be dangerous. What begins as special occasion drinking can rapidly shift into daily consumption.
The Gradual Slide
Teigen described how her drinking schedule crept earlier and earlier throughout the day.
Soon it became the kind of drinking I’m all too familiar with. Quiet moments at home were for wine. The time went from 6 pm, to 5, to 4, to aw hell, it’s lunch, why not. When it got to 11 am, I was like, oh f—, here we go again.
This pattern illustrates how tolerance builds and boundaries erode. Six o’clock cocktails become five o’clock happy hours, which become afternoon drinks, then morning beverages.
Each shift feels small in isolation, but collectively they represent a significant change in drinking behavior.
High-Functioning Drinking
Teigen emphasized that her relapse didn’t look like stereotypical problem drinking—at least not initially.
And I know. I’m a whole a– mom. We aren’t talking the kind of drinking where you slur your words and miss a step on the stairs. It was just quiet and consistent. And god, I felt like s–t…But it wasn’t messy enough yet to stop.
This description captures something important about problematic alcohol use: it doesn’t always involve dramatic external consequences. Teigen, mother to four children including daughters Luna and Esti and sons Miles and Wren, continued functioning in her daily life.
But feeling terrible and drinking consistently throughout the day are significant warning signs, even without obvious impairment. Many people struggle with alcohol while maintaining careers, relationships, and responsibilities.
The internal experience of feeling awful becomes normalized, and without external “messiness,” stopping feels harder to justify.
Finding Support Through Conversation
Teigen credits reality television personality Carl Radke with helping her recognize she needed to stop again. Radke appeared on her podcast, Self-Conscious with Chrissy Teigen, discussing his own sobriety journey.
During their conversation, Radke shared insights about recovery programs that resonated with Teigen.
I would recommend the 12 steps for anybody, regardless if you’re struggling with alcohol. There’s just a good moral fabric that any human can benefit from.
Within the same week as their podcast conversation, Teigen stopped drinking. This timing highlights how hearing someone else’s story can provide the motivation needed to make changes.
Peer support and honest dialogue about substance use create opportunities for self-reflection and action.
The Second Time Around
Teigen first announced her sobriety five years ago with an Instagram video of herself dancing. That initial commitment came with excitement and fanfare.
Her second attempt at sobriety feels different.
I think the biggest difference between now and the first time is that there’s no pomp around it. The first time I put my foot down, it was EXCITING.
She continued reflecting on how attitudes shift after relapse.
The second time…I dunno if everyone around you kind of loses faith or if you do yourself, or a mix of both. Or maybe no one wants to get too excited.
This observation touches on something rarely discussed: the diminished enthusiasm surrounding subsequent sobriety attempts. Whether from others or oneself, there’s often less celebration and more cautious skepticism.
Relapse can feel like failure, making it harder to announce recovery efforts with confidence.
Life Without Alcohol
Despite the quieter approach, Teigen has found solid footing in her current sobriety.
I’m 52 days sober again with no desire to turn back. Turns out, without it, I can still be funny. Still be stupid. Still be wildly nervous. Anxious as a motherf—er. And I can get through it all without it.
Her realization that she retains her personality without alcohol addresses a common fear: that sobriety will fundamentally change who someone is. Teigen discovered she doesn’t need drinks to be herself or cope with anxiety.
She can experience nervousness and get through difficult moments without relying on substances.
Understanding Relapse as Part of Recovery
Teigen’s experience illustrates important realities about recovery from problematic substance use:
- Relapse is common: Most people attempting to change drinking patterns will experience setbacks
- Moderation may not work: For those with certain drinking patterns, controlled consumption often proves unsustainable
- Early warning signs matter: Drinking earlier in the day and feeling consistently bad are significant red flags
- Support systems help: Conversations with others in recovery can provide crucial motivation
- Recovery isn’t linear: Subsequent sobriety attempts may feel different but can still succeed
By sharing her relapse publicly, Teigen reduces stigma around this common experience. Her candid description of the progression from mindful drinking to consistent daily use provides valuable insight for anyone evaluating their own alcohol consumption.
Recovery journeys rarely follow straight paths, and speaking openly about setbacks helps normalize the reality that changing deeply ingrained behaviors takes time, effort, and sometimes multiple attempts.